Nauka (Russian: Наука, IPA: [nɐˈukə], lit. Science), also known as the Multipurpose Laboratory Module-Upgrade (MLM-U; Russian: Многоцелевой лабораторный модуль, усоверше́нствованный, or МЛМ-У) or simply Multipurpose Laboratory Module (MLM), is a module of the International Space Station (ISS). The MLM-U is funded by Roscosmos. In the original ISS plans, Nauka was to use the location of the Docking and Storage Module (DSM). Later, the DSM was replaced by the Rassvet module and Nauka was moved from Zarya's nadir port to Zvezda's nadir port.
The launch of Nauka, initially planned for 2007, was repeatedly delayed for various reasons. By May 2020, Nauka was reported to be planned for launch in the second quarter of 2021, after which the manufacturer's warranties of some of Nauka's components, such as engines, would have expired. Nauka was finally launched on 21 July 2021, 14:58 UTC along with the European Robotic Arm, and successfully docked on 29 July 2021, 13:29 UTC to Zvezda's nadir port, making the first major expansion of the Russian ISS segment for over 20 years. After Nauka docked, it began firing its engine thrusters in error, causing the entire space station to make one and a half full rotations before the module ran out of fuel, enabling ground controllers to stop the rotation and the crew to get it back to its original position an hour later. According to NASA, the ISS crew was never in danger.
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