Zarya

Zarya
	The first ISS module Zarya, recorded in 1998 by STS-88 (NASA)
Space station:	International space station
Start date:	November 20, 1998
Launcher:	Proton-K
Dimensions:	19,323 kg
Length:	12.6 m
Diameter:	4.1 m
	Adjacent modules

Sarja ( Russian Заря 'Dawn') or FGB (Russian abbreviation 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 United States 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 and built in Russia by the space company GKNPZ Khrunichev on behalf of the USA . The costs for the construction of Zarya were taken over by the USA, which represented a rethinking in the US-American space program, which until then had largely dispensed with foreign technology. During the construction and development of Zarya, plans for the TKS space shuttle , which were already the basis for some modules of the Mir space station , were used intensively . The main advantage of the DCS module is that it is completely self- powered via solar cells and can perform position control maneuvers via built-in engines and control nozzles. The module is cylindrical with a spherical head section and conical rear, has a length of 12.6 meters and a maximum diameter of 4.1 meters. The two solar cell surfaces (each around 10.7 meters × 3.3 meters) produce an average output of three kilowatts. The energy can be stored in six nickel-cadmium batteries . Sarja has 24 medium and 12 small attitude control engines as well as two large units for orbit maneuvers. Up to six tons of fuel can be stored in the 16 external tanks. For further expansion of the station, Sarja has a total of three coupling nozzles : at the stern there is an active coupling nozzle of the type "SSWP-M 8000" (currently occupied by Zvezda ), in the spherical coupling node on the bow there is an androgynous coupling nozzle of the type "APAS-89 "(Currently in use by PMA-1 / Unity ) and a passive adapter of the type" SSWP G4000 "( nadir , currently in use by Rasswet ).

Start and installation

Zarya was launched from Baikonur on November 20, 1998 with a Russian Proton K rocket . The launch mass was around 24 tons. Just a few days after the successful launch, Sarja was connected to the first US module, the Unity coupling node , as part of the STS-88 shuttle mission . On December 6th, Zarya was caught by the manipulator arm of the space shuttle Endeavor from a distance of about ten meters and docked to Unity via the coupling adapter PMA-1. In the course of three external missions , power and data lines were connected and external installation work was carried out. Furthermore, transport brackets in the interior of Zarya were removed and freight for the first crew was stowed.

tasks

By the summer of 2000, Sarja took over the entire power supply, position regulation and climate control for the space station. When linked to the module Zvezda on 26 July 2000 Zarya took active part in the final phase. As the station progresses, the energy supply and position control are largely taken over by other components. The function as a fuel storage and storage room remains. Space is also provided for experiments that run largely automatically. In May 2010 the Russian module Rassvet was docked at the free docking port (nadir) .

Cosmonaut Vladimir Deshurov inside the Zarya module
The modules Zarya (center), Zvezda (left) and Unity (right) combined (computer simulation)

Web links

Commons : Zarya - collection of images, videos and audio files