National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Russian Docking
Compartment (DC) and
View of the zenith end
of the DC, with probe
extended, as it prepares to
Airlock Pirs (Pier)
dock with the ISS in 2001. Russia Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos)/
S.P. Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation
Energia (RSC Energia)
Pirs provides the capability for extravehicular activity using Russian Orlan suits. Pirs
also provides contingency capability for ingress for U.S. EMU EVAs. Additionally,
Pirs provides systems for servicing and refurbishing the Orlan suits. The nadir
Docking System on Pirs provides a port for the docking of Soyuz and Progress
logistics vehicles. Later on, Pirs will be jettisoned and replaced in time for the arrival
Docking
System Probe
of the Russian Multi-purpose Laboratory Module.
Attitude Control and
Zenith Docking Wide-Beam Antenna
System (male) and
Hatch Entrance to High-Gain
Wide-Beam Antenna
Service Module Antenna

Strela Manipulator EVA

High-Gain Drain Valve Boom for Moving Hatch 2
Antenna Crew and Cargo
Attitude Control
Antenna

Kurs Antenna
Cover Over
Refueling
EVA Hatch 2 Hydraulic
Valves

EVA Hatch 1 Movable Handrail

Position of Crew
While Preparing Nadir Docking System
for EVA
Position of Crew While and Ha tch Port for
Soyuz or Progress View of the nadir end of the DC.
Preparing for EVA
Pressure and Deposit
Interior Orlan
Monitoring Unit
Storage

Interior
Control Console

Nadir Docking System Refueling

and Hatch Port for Hydraulic Valves
Soyuz or Progress

DC in preparation DC in preparation for launch.

for launch.

Length 4.9 m (16 ft)

Maximum diameter 2.55 m (8.4 ft)

Mass 3,814 kg (8,408 lb)

Volume 14.8 m3 (523 ft3)

Launch date August 14, 2001, on

Progress M, ISS mission 4R
Inside Pirs, the crew prepares Orlan suits for EVA. Pirs Module location at Service Module nadir.

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