Moscow, 29 July 2021 (dpa/MIA) - A new Russian research module named Nauka docked at the International Space Station (ISS) on Thursday after completing its eight-day flight from Earth. A live transmission of the arrival broadcast by the Russian space agency Roscosmos showed the craft, whose name means "science" in Russian, docking with the ISS some 400 kilometres above the Earth. Nauka was originally planned for launch in 2007, but various technical problems led to repeated delays. Nauka is replacing the now retired Pirs module, which was recently decoupled from the ISS and crashed into in the Pacific Ocean. Several field missions by Russian cosmonauts are planned now that the research module is finally in place. Nauka is primarily intended for scientific research, though the multi-purpose module, which was launched into space from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan last week, will also serve as crew quarters and boasts its own life support system. The craft measures 13 by 4 metres and weighs more than 20 tonnes.