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Russia to launch Nauka research module to orbital outpost in April 2021

The Nauka multi-functional laboratory module can generate oxygen for six people and regenerate water from the urine

MOSCOW, November 2. /TASS/. The launch of the Nauka (Science) multi-functional laboratory module to the International Space Station (ISS) is planned for April 2021 and its flight to the orbital outpost will take a week, Deputy Director of the Roscosmos Department for Piloted Programs Vladimir Daneyev announced on Monday.

"The preliminary date for the launch of the Nauka module is late April but we will now look at the flight program to bring it to the station more comfortably because it is set to reach the station in about a week," the Roscosmos official said at an online event devoted to the 20th anniversary of the ISS’ piloted mission.

Roscosmos Chief Dmitry Rogozin earlier said the launch of the Nauka module to the ISS was planned in April 2021.

The Nauka multi-functional laboratory module can generate oxygen for six people and regenerate water from the urine. The Nauka will provide a second toilet for Russian cosmonauts (the first is located in the Zvezda module) and a room for the third crewmember. It will also use the European Robotic Arm (ERA) that will help perform some operations without spacewalks.