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The NASA Johnson Space to Ground: At the Midpoint: 07/02/2021 video this week from Mexico City to promote Espacio a Tierra includes the following:

Also launching to the Station, a new multi-purpose laboratory module, the Russian Nauka module, dedicated to scientific research, will launch in July.

Question: How will Nauka be configured on the ISS? In which direction will it extend from the ISS?

NASA Johnson *Space to Ground: At the Midpoint: 07/02/2021 NASA Johnson *Space to Ground: At the Midpoint: 07/02/2021

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above: Russian Orbital Segment, below: Russian Orbital Segment - post Nauka launch (3D rendering)

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    Note that Nauka MLM does not launch with with the radiator nor the experiments airlock that are always shown in the previews. These were launched in May 2010 attached to the Rassvet MRM-1 (smaller module to the right in the pictures, with Orbiter red trunnions on it, they are stored on the opposite side) A spare elbow joint is also stored on the MRM-1. Once Nauka is docked the ESA ERA will be used to remove these from the MRM-1 and install them on itself. The ERA is a little short at 11m so a grapple extender is used to attach to the airlock. – blobbymcblobby Jul 25 '21 at 11:24

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This image shows the principal direction words for the ISS (from In "spacecraft talk" is nadir just a fancy word for "down"?).

enter image description here

The MLM is planned to be attached to the nadir side of the ISS Russian segment. Its long axis is planned to be parallel to the ISS Z axis.

Here are three views generated from the official NASA visualization tool DOUG after downloading the latest updates (they even include some of the new supplemental solar arrays in the model!) and attaching the MLM.

This view is from aft and starboard of the station. (Closing in on the ISS from behind it) enter image description here

This view is from nadir and slightly starboard of the station. (Between the ISS and the Earth, looking up) enter image description here

This view is from forward and port of the station. (Closing in on the ISS from in front of it) enter image description here

Organic Marble
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  • Put another way, Pirs the docking module will detach with the Progress docked to it, when it is tim in July and Nakua will take its place. – geoffc Jul 04 '21 at 02:28