Russian Contributions and the $2 billion "Savings&quot

The Goldin administration at NASA anticipated that using Russian (read: Soviet) technologies would reduce the cost of getting a space station in orbit.67 Listed here is a brief list and description of such elements. Note that several are identi­fied by more than one name. This is due to changes in bureaucratic nomenclature as well as inconsistencies in translation, but also because Russian design philoso­phies value adaptability—meaning that one module or vehicle may be adapted to many new models, receiving a new name with each incarnation.

FGB Module 45,000 pounds (also: Zarya, Functional Cargo Blok, FGB Tug, Mir-2): This module traces its lineage to the Salyut space station (first orbited in 1971) and its basic design to Mir-1 and plans for a Mir-2. Much of the appeal of Russian cooperation on the ISS was that the FGB was near completion and could be launched much sooner than any comparable SSF module under US develop­ment. This, the first ISS module in orbit, had guidance, control, navigation, mul­tiple docking ports, propellant stowage, and propulsion capabilities, meaning that it could provide station-keeping reboost power (to monitor and control the alti­tude of the ISS’s orbit). The FGB also had Environmental Control Life Support Systems (ECLSS) to supply oxygen, remove carbon dioxide, monitor for airborne contaminants, store oxygen and nitrogen, and circulate air. The FGB was intended to provide guidance and control for the first five months in orbit until the Service Module was to be launched. It would also “keep alive” power to US labs until NASA’s power module arrived.67 It was launched in November 1998.

Service Module 64,000pounds (also: Zvezda): Like the FGB, this module is based on the Mir service module and, as such, provides redundant systems of life support. As of 1997, NASA’s administration anticipated that these two modules together would provide control, reboost, and life support for continuous habitation of up to three crewmembers until a US habitation module was to be launched in 2002.68

Science Power Platform 46,000pounds (also: Power Mast): This mast featured 13 kilowatt power generation capability and was augmented by US-provided solar blankets. The pressurized mast section houses gyrodynes.

Progress (Resupply Missions): First launched in 1978, Progress was an auto­mated spacecraft derived from the Soyuz spacecraft. NASA and RSA planners anticipated over one hundred automated Progress propellant resupply missions (six-nine launches per year) throughout the life of the ISS program, saving valu­able space on Shuttle flights and reducing the number of Shuttle launches neces­sary for ISS upkeep.

Soyuz Crew Vehicle 16,000 pounds (SSF: Assured Crew Return Vehicle, later ISS: Crew Transfer Vehicle): First launched in 1966, Soviet space program offi­cials used this vehicle model to resupply Salyut space stations. RSA and NASA officials planned for ten alternating Soyuz crew rescue vehicles to be made avail­able to the ISS through 2002 when a US crew rescue vehicle was to replace it.

Launch Services: for ISS assembly including two Proton launches (first launched in 1965), approximately 40 Soyuz launches (first launched in 1966), and another estimated 70 Soyuz launches in the postassembly phase.

Initially, each of these launch vehicles and spacecraft were to be provided as “contributions” of the RSA—fully funded and delivered in orbit by the Russians.

It was in this way that NASA’s space station redesigners justified Russian coop­eration as saving a total of $2 billion from NASA’s total budget.