Zarya
List of ISS modules
Zarya (Russian Заря, dawn ') or FGB ( the Russian acronym for функционально - грузовой блок, English Functional Cargo Block, German storage and function module ) is the first module of the International Space Station ( ISS).
Development and construction
The U.S. had to start of construction of the ISS no experience in the construction of drive modules for a space station. To save development costs Zarya was developed on behalf of the USA from aerospace companies GKNPZ Khrunichev in Russia and built. The cost for the construction of Sarja were taken over by the U.S., what a rethink in the U.S. space program represented, which had largely avoided until then to foreign technology. In construction and development of Zarya was intensively resorted to plans TKS space shuttle, which was already the basis for some of the modules of the Mir space station. The main advantage of the TKS module is that it have built engines and thrusters can be completely powered itself runs on solar energy and make maneuvers for position control. The module has a cylindrical shape with a spherical head and a conical tail, has a length of 12.6 meters and a maximum diameter of 4.1 meters. The two solar panels (each approximately 10.7 meters x 3.3 meters ) produce an average power of three kilowatts. The energy can be stored in six nickel-cadmium batteries. Sarja has 24 medium and 12 small attitude control thrusters and two large units for orbital maneuvers. In the 16 externally mounted tanks up to six tons of fuel can be stored. To further expand the station Sarja has a total of three docking port: at the rear, an active saver- type " SSWP -M 8000" is (currently occupied by Zvezda ), in the spherical coupling node at the bow there is an androgynous docking port of type " APAS -89 " (currently occupied by PMA-1/Unity ) and a passive adapter of type" SSWP G4000 " ( nadir, currently occupied by Rassvet ).
Start and Installation
Zarya was launched on 20 November 1998 on a Russian Proton-K rocket from Baikonur. The starting weight was about 24 tons. Just a few days after the successful launch of Zarya, was in the shuttle mission STS -88, connected to the first U.S. module, the coupling Unity Node. From about ten feet away Zarya was recorded on December 6 by the manipulator arm of the space shuttle Endeavour docked on the docking adapter PMA -1 to Unity. In three field work power and data cables were connected and made outdoor installation work. Furthermore, shipping brackets have been removed in the interior of the Zarya and stowed cargo for the first crew.
Tasks
By the summer of 2000 Sarja took over the complete power supply, position control and climate control for the Space Station. When coupling with the Zvezda module on 26 July 2000 Sarja took the active role in the final phase. With advancing construction of the station power supply and position control are widely adopted by other components. Existence of the function remains as fuel storage and storage space. Also, space is provided for largely self-running experiments. In May 2010 ( nadir ) was docked the Russian module Rassvet docking port on the free.
The modules Zarya (center), Zvezda (left) and Unity (right) combines ( computer simulation)