The Russian multi-purpose module "Nauka" caused a moment of shock after docking with the ISS.
The engines switched on in an uncontrolled manner.
Moscow - On Thursday (July 29th) the Russian research module “Nauka” (in German: Science) docked at the international space station ISS.
On July 21, it was launched from the Russian spaceport Baikonur in Kazakhstan.
On the night of Friday (July 30th), “Nauka” caused one of the greatest moments of shock in the space station's 20-year history.
The ISS space station gets into a tilted position: “Nauka” engines are switched on in an uncontrolled manner
During the night there was an unplanned activation of the “Nauka” engines.
As a result, the entire ISS was in great motion.
The uncontrolled generated thrust tilted the entire 450-tonne space station by 45 degrees in space.
The US space agency NASA had lost control of the station's position for almost an hour.
As a result, contact with the crew was broken for a total of eleven minutes.
According to official information, there was no danger to the seven crew members on board at any time.
However, the problem could only be remedied by an emergency response.
All ISS systems - including "Nauka" - were working normally again, said the flight director of the Russian part of the ISS, Vladimir Solovyov, according to the Interfax agency on Friday.
He named a brief software malfunction as the reason for the unplanned ignition of the engines.
+
The Russian multi-purpose module “Nauka” caused a moment of shock after docking with the ISS.
© Uncredited / NASA / dpa
Shock moment in space: “Human factor” cannot be ruled out in the breakdown
According to the media, the head of the Russian space agency Roskosmos, Dmitri Rogozin, did not rule out a "human factor" in the breakdown. After all the excitement, he gave the all-clear that night. “It's all right on the ISS,” he said on Twitter. “The cosmonauts are resting. I recommend that to you too. ”According to Roskosmos, specialists from the flight control center were working on the engines of the new module to ensure the safety of the ISS and the crew.
As a multi-purpose module, “Nauka” is primarily intended for research.
But it should also serve as a team quarters with its own life support system.
There is also a toilet on board.
It measures 13 by 4.11 meters and weighs more than 20 tons.
Actually, “Nauka” was supposed to be brought into space in 2007.
Problems had led to delays.
Russia sent the last module to the ISS eleven years ago.
Roskosmos boss Rogozin announced the start of another module for November 24th, which will improve the docking of spaceships in the future.
(ph / dpa)
List of rubric lists: © Uncredited