Berthed opposite Kvant 2 in 1990, Kristall weighs 19.6 tons and carries two stowable solar arrays, science and technology equipment, and a docking port equipped with a special androgynous docking mechanism designed to receive heavy (up to about 100 tons) spacecraft equipped with the same kind of docking unit. The androgynous unit was originally developed for the Russian Buran Shuttle program. Atlantis used the androgynous docking unit on Kristall during mission STS-71.

• Kristall Description from Former Soviet Union Knowledge Base

Module	Mass (Kg)	Length (m)	Max. Diameter (m)	Pressurized Volume (Cubic Meters)	No. of Solar Arrays/Area (Square Meters)	Power Output (KW)	Function
Kristall	19,649	13.73	4.35	60.8	2/70	5.5-8.4	Materials production & remote sensing, docking node

Added in 1990, Kristall carries scientific equipment, retractable solar arrays, and a docking node equipped with a special androgynous docking mechanism designed to receive spacecraft weighing up to 100 tons.

The purpose of the Kristall module is to develop biological and materials production technologies in the space environment. One component of the Kristall is a radial docking port. Originally designed as a potential means of docking the Russian Buran reusable shuttle orbiter, this port is now attached to the Docking Module.

Sources:
ISS Phase I - Space Station Mir
Shuttle-Mir Web: Mir Components - NASA

Wednesday, 31-Dec-1969 18:00:00 CST
CSR/TSGC Team Web