Which country added the Nauka module to the ISS in 2021?

Russia added the Nauka module to the ISS in 2021. Also called the Multipurpose Laboratory Module—Upgrade, Nauka became the primary laboratory of the station’s Russian Orbital Segment.

Nauka launched on 21 July 2021 from Baikonur Cosmodrome aboard a Proton-M rocket. After an eight-day journey and several propulsion problems, it docked with the Zvezda module on 29 July. Its arrival marked the first major expansion of the Russian Orbital Segment in more than two decades.

The module’s history began much earlier. Nauka was originally built as a backup for Zarya, the first ISS module, but it was later converted into a laboratory after construction delays. Its equipment included scientific facilities, storage areas and systems supporting crew operations.

The docking produced a dramatic incident: a software problem caused Nauka’s thrusters to fire unexpectedly, rotating the entire station about one and a half times. Controllers restored the station’s orientation, and the crew was not endangered. Nauka was later outfitted with the European Robotic Arm and additional research hardware.