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| The Zarya control module, also known by the
technical term Functional Cargo Block and the Russian acronym FGB, was the first component
of the International Space Station to be launched into orbit. It provides the
station’s propulsion and power. The U.S.-funded and Russian-built Zarya is a U.S.
component of the station although it was built and launched by Russia. The Zarya module is 41.2 feet long and 13.5 feet wide at its widest point. Its solar arrays and six nickel-cadmium batteries can provide an average of 3 kilowatts of electrical power. The module’s 16 fuel tanks combined can hold more than 6 tons of propellant. Two large engines are available for reboosting the spacecraft and making major orbital changes. |
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