Q & A About Zarya
MOSCOW, Nov 20
Russia on Friday launched the first module of the new
International Space Station, ushering in a new era of
high-tech cooperation in space exploration by the United
States, Russia, Europe, Japan and other nations.
Here are some details on the Zarya module:
WHAT DOES IT DO? The Zarya module provides initial
power, communications and propulsion for the space
station. Later modules will take over these functions
and Zarya will serve mostly as a storage facility,
holding fuel and other supplies.
CAN HUMANS LIVE ON IT? Not yet, as it does not
have life-support systems to provide oxygen, plumbing
and other essentials for living in space. Astronauts
will be able to move around inside without spacesuits
only after the living quarters are attached to one of
its three docking ports in July 1999.
WHO BUILT IT? Russia's Khrunichev Space Center in
Moscow built the module starting in 1994, but it was
funded by the United States. The module was based on
a modified design of earlier Soviet Salyut space stations
dating back to the 1970s. Russia will pay the cost of
launching it into orbit on a three-stage Proton rocket.
HOW MUCH DID IT COST? Boeing, under contract for
the U.S. space agency NASA, initially paid Khrunichev
$190 million to develop, build and conduct ground
tests for the Zarya. But the overall price tag rose to
$238 million after Russia delayed construction of the
third living module and engineers decided to make use
of the extra time to add new features.
HOW BIG IS IT? The Zarya is a cylinder-shaped module,
12.5 metres (41.2 feet) long, 4.1 metres (13.5 feet)
wide, with solar panels extending 10.6 metres (35 feet)
long like wings on both sides of the exterior. Inside,
16 fuel tanks can hold six tonnes of propellant.
HOW MUCH DOES IT WEIGH? 19,300 kilos
(42,600 pounds) once in orbit.
WHAT DOES ZARYA MEAN? It's Russian for "daybreak."
The name replaces the awkward previous name of
Functional Cargo Block or FGB by its Russian initials.
WHAT HAPPENS IF ZARYA IS LOST? Russia is already
working on building a back-up Zarya, but space officials
say the International Space Station would be set back a
year. It is not clear what country would pick up the cost
of building a new module.
REUTERS
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