New Russian Port Added To International Space Station

The Atlantis astronauts checked off a prime goal of their mission to the International Space Station today, delivering a fourth Russian docking port for visiting Soyuz crew transport and robotic Progress space freighters.

In a dual robot arm operation, the 11,188-pound Mini-Research Module-1 was hoisted out of the cargo bay of Atlantis and then guided to a berthing port on a Earth-facing side of the Russian space tug Zarya. It was moored there at 8:20 a.m. as the joined shuttle-station complex flew 220 miles above the planet.

Dubbed Rassvet, which is a Russian word meaning 'dawn,' the module is the first major Russian element of the station to be launched aboard a U.S. shuttle. Under a barter agreement, it is packed full of almost 6,500 pounds of American supplies and equipment.

Zarya, which is the Russian word for 'sunrise," was the first element of the station to be launched back in November 1998. It was linked to the U.S. Unity module in early December of that year. A total of almost 40 U.S. and Russian missions since then have been launched to assembly the 400-ton outpost, which is the largest structure ever erected in orbit. The station spans an area larger than an American football field.

The delivery and installation work started earlier today when Atlantis mission specialist Piers Sellers used the shuttle's robot arm to lift the module from the cargo bay of Atlantis. Crewmate Garrett Reisman, operating the station's robot arm, took a handoff over the bay and then guided the module into place.

At the point of docking the robot arm was moving at top speed 0.06 feet per second. A visiting Soyuz or Progress vehicle docks at speeds that are 10 times higher.

The module was developed by Korolev Rocket and Space Corp. Energia -- RSC Energia.

It is 19.7 feet long and has a maximum diameter of 7.7 feet.

On its outer hull is an airlock that for a full-sized Russian research laboratory that is to be launched to the station in 2012. The Russian Federal Space Agency also intends to launch an electric power tower to the outpost in 2013 or 2014.

A radiator for the lab also is mounted on the hull along with a spare elbow joint for a European robot arm and a portable work platform that will serve as an anchor for astronauts on future spacewalks.

The addition of the MRM-1 increases the total pressurized volume of the station to 29,561 cubic feet -- roughly the same as a 747 jumbo jet.

The total habitable volume of the station now is 12,705 cubic feet, or about the same amount of living space as a five bedroom home.

Click to enlarge any of the NASA TV screen grabs above or below: