Multipurpose laboratory module Nauka will be launched to the International Space Station (ISS) in the autumn of 2020 at the earliest, a source in the space rocket industry told TASS.

"The Nauka module will be launched at the end of October or November 2020 at the earliest," the source said. He added that the module will be delivered to the orbit by a Proton-M carrier rocket.

The source noted that "the relevant decree was signed by Roscosmos head Dmitry Rogozin."

The Nauka module is currently at the Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center. In October 2019, after a round of trials, the module will be transferred to the Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energia. In July 2020, the module will be delivered to the Baikonur spaceport.