THE International Space Station is slipping further behind schedule because
of Russia鈥檚 failure to complete a key component. Meanwhile, the abandoned Mir
station may yet gain a new lease of life.
Russian officials have delayed the launch of the crucial service module that
will house the International Space Station鈥檚 first crew, originally scheduled
for 1998. Named Zvezda, or 鈥渟tar鈥�, the service module will serve as a command
centre while the space station is assembled. Russia鈥檚 economic woes have caused
its construction by the Energia company of Korolev, near Moscow, to fall behind
schedule.
The latest date for the launch is March this year, but this plan is on hold
following the failure of two Russian Proton rockets in 1999. Khrunichev, the
company that makes the rocket, says it has found manufacturing flaws. Engineers
are overhauling existing Protons and plan to test them with other, less crucial
payloads before launching the service module. So Zvezda seems sure to be delayed
for months, and NASA officials will meet their Russian counterparts next month
to formulate a new schedule.
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A space shuttle mission that was due to visit the space station after
Zvezda鈥檚 launch to assemble the station is now likely to be split in two. An
initial flight this spring will carry out maintenance work on the two space
station modules already in orbit, such as replacing a malfunctioning battery in
the Russian Zarya control module. After Zvezda is in orbit, a second flight will
go up to complete the assembly.
Meanwhile, Mir is refusing to die quietly. NASA had hoped that the ageing
space station, now orbiting without a crew, would this summer be sent to its
destruction in the upper atmosphere, allowing Russia to devote its attention and
resources to the new international project.
But a potential saviour has emerged in the form of the Bermuda-based Mir
Corporation, which claims to have raised tens of millions of dollars towards the
sum of up to $200 million needed to keep Mir aloft for the foreseeable
future. Company founder Jeff Manber, the former managing director of Energia鈥檚
American division, is trying to agree a rescue package with Energia.
鈥淲e realise the challenges are great, but we believe that if we succeed we
will have one of the great destinations and research spots in space,鈥� Manber
told 快猫短视频. Space tourism for the seriously rich is one market.
Manber also believes it will be possible to sell time on the station for more
conventional space activities, such as microgravity research and Earth
imaging.
NASA officials seem untroubled that the Russians may allow Mir to live on.
鈥淚t鈥檚 OK as long as it doesn鈥檛 affect their commitment to the International
Space Station,鈥� says a spokesman.