| Here is a piece of commentary from a Russian insider covering the launch of Nauka, but not the docking, in Russian [1]. There was a litany of smaller issues with the launch, probably stemming from the fact that the module has been tossed around for 25+ years. I generally don't expect Roskosmos to make any comments regarding Nauka unless it blows up or something. Part of the reason, apparently, is that Roskosmos is being assessed for new funding (from the blog post, Google translate edited for clarity): """ Docking is scheduled for July 29. The future of Russian manned astronautics depends on its success. With Nauka, the Russian segment will be able to operate for another 10 years, and be more effective as a research platform. The future of the independent Russian Orbital Service Station (ROSS) is also indirectly related to the success of Nauka. With Nauka, Roskosmos gets a chance to show that it has the ability to create and launch manned space stations. This, in turn, increases the likelihood of obtaining the funding for ROSS. Probably, this is the reason that Roscosmos has been reluctant to voice any of the problems with Nauka. When half a trillion rubles is at stake, you will inevitably lose your voice. """ Half a trillion rubles is about $7bn American. I've been hearing about plans for this new station for a few years now. I don't really know if it's real. Involvement with the ISS, where Americans shouldered 80% of the financial burden, is really what kept the Russian space program relevant. So I don't expect us to pull out of the ISS voluntarily. If the ISS ends up being decommissioned this decade, hopefully we can piggy back with the Chinese on their new projects or something. That's assuming we have anything they want, which is a big question mark come year 2030. [1] https://zelenyikot.livejournal.com/158629.html |