Pirs (ISS Module)

Pirs (ISS Module)

The Pirs docking compartment is a Russian module of the International Space Station (ISS). Pirs (Russian: Пирс, meaning "pier") -- also called "Stikovochny Otsek 1" or "SO-1" (Russian: Стыковочный отсек, "docking module", or DC-1 (docking compartment) -- is one of the two Russian docking compartments originally planned for the ISS. Pirs was launched in August 2001. It provides the ISS with one docking port for Soyuz and Progress spacecraft, and allows egress and ingress for spacewalks by cosmonauts using Russian Orlan space suits. When the Russian segment of the ISS was redesigned in 2001, the new design did not include the SO-2, and its construction was canceled. The SO-2 module now forms the basis for the Poisk module.