launch Nauka were affected by the outbreak of COVID-19 in Europe in early 2020, which led to suspension of all work in March, April, and July, and a sizeable reduction in workforce throughout the year, as part of measures to prevent the potential spread of the disease. Nauka finally arrived in Baikonur in August 2020, along with its solar panels and the European Robotic Arm shortly afterwards. The loading of cargo and supplies onto Nauka began on 11 September 2020, while its MMOD armor and batteries were installed. Throughout October and November 2020, Expedition 65 cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Oleg Novitsky, who were to be responsible for Naukas installation to the station in orbit via numerous extravehicular activities, conducted two Crew Equipment Interface Tests during which the module was powered on for the first time with various components deployed, and the cosmonauts inspected and toured the vehicle's exterior. By November 2020, Nauka had been put through 306 of the 754 tests needed before it could be processed for launch, and by January 2021 80% of the tests were complete. Throughout January and February, Naukas tanks, thrusters, and automated docking system underwent final testing, along with the European Robotic Arm. In March, two more Crew Equipment Interface Tests with Dubrov and Novitsky took place, and Naukas launch was delayed one final time from May to July 2021, following further COVID-19-related restrictions and complications with traffic on the International Space Station. In May, Nauka passed Roscosmos' flight readiness review, underwent a final round of pressurization and leak tests, and the SSVP docking adapter, the solar panels, and the European Robotic Arm were attached to the module's exterior. One final Crew Equipment Interface Test was conducted with cosmonaut Aleksandr Skvortsov and his backup Sergey Prokopyev before Nauka's encapsulation in the Proton-M's payload fairing in June. On 28 June, Nauka was successfully mated with its Proton-M launch vehicle and rolled out to Site 200 on 17 July. Launch On 2 May 2021, the launch schedule was posted online; it involved the launch of Progress MS-17 on 30 June to deliver outfitting hardware to the station and plugs to fix the leak in the Zvezda service module. Before it docked, Novitsky and Dubrov performed a spacewalk to remove equipment and cables from Pirs in preparation for undocking. Site 200, from which Nauka and its Proton-M were to launch, were modified to supply chilled air and