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Russia’s Prichal nodal module docks with orbital outpost

The new module docked in an automatic mode under the control of Flight Control Center specialists on the ground and cosmonauts onboard the ISS
Soyuz-2.1b carrier rocket with the Progress M-UM space freighter and the Prichal nodal module Sergei Savostyanov/TASS
Soyuz-2.1b carrier rocket with the Progress M-UM space freighter and the Prichal nodal module
© Sergei Savostyanov/TASS

KOROLYOV /Moscow Region/, November 26. /TASS/. The Prichal nodal module making part of the Progress M-UM space freighter launched from the Baikonur spaceport on November 24 docked with the Russian Nauka multi-purpose research laboratory onboard the International Space Station (ISS), a TASS correspondent reported from Russia’s Flight Control Center.

The new module docked in an automatic mode under the control of Flight Control Center specialists on the ground and cosmonauts onboard the ISS.

A Soyuz-2.1b carrier rocket with the Progress M-UM space freighter and the Prichal nodal module blasted off from Launch Pad No. 31 (‘Vostok’) of the Baikonur spaceport to the orbital outpost at 16:06 Moscow time on November 24. The flight to the orbital outpost took two days. A total of 8.18 tonnes of payload was delivered into orbit. Cosmonautics historian Alexander Zheleznyakov told TASS on Tuesday that the Soyuz-2 carrier rocket would deliver a record payload weight to the ISS.

Roscosmos Chief Dmitry Rogozin earlier said that the new module would boost the capabilities of Russian spaceships, including the latest Oryol spacecraft, to dock with the ISS. Overall, the new module will have five docking ports. The first docking of a manned spacecraft with the Prichal module is scheduled for March 18.

The spacecraft-module also delivered about 700 kg of various cargo to the ISS, including equipment and consumables, water purification, medical control including sanitary and hygienic supplies, maintenance and repair tools, as well as standard food rations for the 66th Main Expedition crew.