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| Assembling a World-Class
Orbiting Laboratory Zarya - Control Module |
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The U.S.-funded and Russian-built Zarya, "Sunrise" in English, is a U.S.-owned component of the station although it was built and will be launched by Russia. The module was built by the Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center in Moscow under a subcontract to The Boeing Co. for NASA. The launch of the module is being funded by Russia. Zarya will function as a sort of space tugboat, providing Unity with early power, propulsion, communications and the capability to dock via remote control with the third station component, the Russian-provided Service Module. The Service Module will enhance or replace many of Zarya's functions. Later in the station's assembly sequence, the Zarya module will be used primarily for its storage capacity and external fuel tanks. The Zarya module is 41.2 feet long and 13.5 feet wide at its widest point. It has an operational lifetime of at least 15 years. Its solar arrays and six nickel-cadmium batteries provide three kilowatts of electrical power. Each of the two solar arrays is 35 feet long and 11 feet wide. Its side docking ports will accommodate Russian Soyuz piloted spacecraft and unpiloted Progress resupply spacecraft. Construction of the Zarya module began in December 1994. It was shipped from Moscow to the Baikonur launch site to begin launch preparations in January 1998. |
Curator: Kim
Dismukes | Responsible NASA Official: John Ira Petty | Updated: 04/07/2002 |
