credit RSC-Energia / caption: Mini Research Module 2 in final assembly at Energia
S P Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energia has posted on its website a photo report of the Min Research Module 2 (MRM2) in final assembly with cosmonauts and NASA astronauts in attendance during training
MRM2 will be launched by a TSKB-Progress aka Samara Space Center Soyuz rocket to the International Space Station this November. Although called a mini research module MRM2 is actually to operate as (scroll down to bottom of page) a port for the docking of Soyuz, Progress and other cargo vehicles and as the primary Russian airlock for the performance of spacewalks by two ISS crewmembers using Russian Orlan spacesuits
The picture above shows MRM2 in final assembly and in the lower half of the image the group of people, Energia says, “includes the cosmonauts A. Kaleri, O. Skripochka, M. Suraev, A. Skvortsov and S. Revin and the American astronauts R. Garan, Sh. Walker and J. Williams”
They took part in training by the RSC-Energia specialists at the Checkout & Test Facility, where the module is in the final stage of its manufacturing operations
Meanwhile go here for images of MRM1, which will be launched in 2010 by Space Shuttle
