On the Baikonur cosmodrome, the program of factory control tests of the laboratory module “Science” of the Russian segment of the International Space Station is completed. In the workshop No. 104 of the installation and test case of the site No. 254 Specialists of the Rocket and Space Corporation “Energy” named after S.P. Queen (part of the state corporation “Roscosmos”) and the European Space Agency performed technological operations on the final installation of the EUROPEAN ROBTIC ARM manipulator (ERA) on the housing of the new module.
Autonomous Advanced ERA manipulator made by the German company Fokker Space is part of the standard electromechanical means of maintenance of the Module “Science”. As the main manipulator of the Russian station of the station, it will provide installation and removal of target loads on the station surface and monitoring the state of the outer surface of the station, as well as remotely controlled movement of astronauts on a portable workplace when entering outdoor space. In accordance with the work schedule during the installation of the ERA, high-precision monitoring of the position of the manipulator in the folded configuration and the complex testing of the mounting means on the module housing were carried out.
Further work on the technical complex will be carried out by the South Energy Space Center (the branch of the center of exploitation of ground-based space infrastructure, is included in Roscosmos) within the framework of the staff preparation. During this period, it is planned to install solar panels, placement of goods delivered and control weighing of the module, assembly of the cosmic head, refueling the tank of the module with fuel components and the overall assembly of the space destination “Proton-M”.
Laboratory Module “Science” – a research module of the Russian segment of the International Space Station, developed by the RSC “Energy” named after S.P. Queen in cooperation with GKNPTS named after M.V. Khrunichev (enters Roscosmos) in order to expand the functionality of the Russian segment of the ISS.