BAIKONUR, June 2 (RIA Novosti) - In 2007, Russia plans to launch a new ISS segment, a multi-purpose lab module, Roskosmos (the Russian space agency) head Anatoly Perminov said. He took the presidents of Russia and Kazakhstan Vladimir Putin and Nursultan Nazarbayev on a tour of assembly and testing facility at the Baikonur space center.
The lab module will become the first ISS segment designed specifically for scientific research purposes, Perminov added.
In his turn, director of the Khrunichev State Space Center Alexander Medvedev said the module is 70% ready at this point. It will become the third large ISS segment made in Russia.
Space center officials showed Putin and Nazarbayev a Russian-made Proton-M rocket, which will deliver the module to the orbit.
The Russian and Kazakh presidents arrived at Baikonur to attend the celebrations dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the space center.
