 |
 |
 |
Priroda (back to Tour) The final piece in the Mir puzzle was Priroda, launched in April 1996. Priroda means "Nature," and this is known as the environmental module. Its mission is to study the atmosphere and oceans, with an emphasis on pollution and other environmental impact of human activities on them. To this end, it contains active, passive, and infra-red radiometers, a synthetic aperture radar, and several types of spectrometers used for measuring ozone and aerosol concentrations in the atmosphere. At the same time, it monitors the propagation of industrial pollutants, maps thermal variations across oceans, measures the height of ocean waves, measures mean temperatures and the vertical structure of clouds, and measures wind direction and speed. It is also designed to conduct geological surveys that can be used to locate mineral resources and water reserves and study the effects of erosion on crops and forests. Priroda is also the site of the Microgravity Isolation Mount, set up inside a compartment called the Glovebox, for procedures requiring physical isolation. Mir vibrates slightly as it orbits the Earth; the crew can't feel it, but it's enough to disrupt certain sensitive experiments. So the Canadian Space Agency designed the MIM, the top half of which floats free, held in place solely by electromagnetic fields. The Glovebox also has TV cameras and lighting apparatus, for recording the progress of the experiments. Priroda is also where the American astronauts do their work, and where they sleep, bungee-corded to the wall. 
Footage: NASA. Q&A | Tour of Mir | Day in the Life Next Space Station | Mishaps | Resources Teacher's Guide | Transcript | Site Map | Terror Home Editor's Picks | Previous Sites | Join Us/E-mail | TV/Web Schedule About NOVA | Teachers | Site Map | Shop | Jobs | Search | To print PBS Online | NOVA Online | WGBH © | Updated November 2000 |
Priroda: Jerry Linenger (foreground), Michael Foale points out Glovebox (background).