MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 02nd May, 2021) Russian Progress MS-17 cargo spacecraft that is expected to be launched in June will prepare the International Space Station (ISS) for the arrival of the new Prichal module, a space industry source told Sputnik.
Earlier, it was reported that the Progress MS-17 resupply spacecraft was going to be launched from the Baikonur space center on June 30, using the Russian Soyuz-2.1b carrier rocket.
"The 'Nauka' module [Multipurpose Laboratory Module] that will arrive at the ISS in July will have an adapter at the docking port that enables the docking of piloted Soyuz spacecraft and Progress cargo spacecraft. However, the adapter will stand in the way of the Prichal module docking to Nauka, so Progress MS-17 will need to carry it away when separating from the ISS," the source explained to Sputnik.
A modified version of the Progress MS cargo spacecraft, Progress M-UM, is expected to be launched on November 24 and will deliver the new Nodal module Prichal (also known as Uzlovoy Module, or UM) to the Russian segment of the ISS.
According to the Sputnik source, the Progress MS-17 cargo spacecraft will separate from Nauka on November 24, carrying the unneeded adapter away with it, thus opening the way for the arrival of Prichal.
