The Complete Book of Spaceflight: From Apollo 1 to Zero Gravity

orbit. Valuable experience was gained in training international
crews, running an international space program,
and meeting the challenges of long-duration
spaceflight for mixed-nation astronauts and ground
controllers. Dealing with the real-time challenges of
the Shuttle-Mir missions also fostered a new level of
cooperation and trust between those working on the
American and Russian space programs.
The ISS Takes Shape
Construction of the ISS began in late 1998 and will
involve a total of 45 assembly missions, including 36
by the Shuttle, and numerous resupply missions by
unmanned Progress craft and rotations of Soyuz crewreturn
vehicles. American and Russian astronauts will
take part in about 850 clock-hours of spacewalks during
the five-year building period. (See tables, “Early ISS
Missions” and “First ISS Crews.”)
Early ISS Missions
Major ISS Components and Servicing
Equipment
Zarya (“Dawn”) Control Module
A 21-ton, 12.5-m-long, 4.1-m-wide module, equipped
with solar arrays and six nickel-cadmium batteries
capable of generating an average of 3 kW of power,
which provided early propulsion, power, fuel storage,
and communication, and served as the rendezvous
and docking port for Zvezda. Zarya’s construction was
funded by NASA and undertaken in Moscow by Boeing
and the Khrunichev State Research and Production
Space Center. Following its launch, it was put
through a series of tests before being commanded to
fire its two large engines to climb to a circular orbit
386 km high. The module’s engines and 36 steering
jets have a six-ton reservoir of propellant to enable
altitude and orientation changes. Its side docking
ports are used by Russia’s Soyuz piloted spacecraft
Launch Date Description
Nov. 20, 1998 A Proton rocket places the Zarya module in orbit.
Dec. 4, 1998 Shuttle mission STS-88 attaches the Unity module to Zarya.
May 27, 1999 STS-96 delivers tools and cranes to the two modules.
May 19, 2000 STS-101 conducts maintenance and delivers supplies to prepare for arrival of Zvezda and the
station’s first permanent crew.
Jul. 12, 2000 A Proton rocket delivers Zvezda.
Sep. 8, 2000 STS-106 delivers supplies and outfits Zvezda.
Oct. 11, 2000 STS-92 delivers the Z1 Truss, a pressurized mating adapter for Unity, and four gyros.
Nov. 2, 2000 Arrival of Expedition One crew aboard a Soyuz spacecraft.
Nov. 30, 2000 STS-97 installs the first set of American solar arrays.
Feb. 7, 2001 STS-98 delivers the Destiny laboratory module and relocates a pressurized mating adapter
from the end of Unity to the end of Destiny.
Mar. 8, 2001 STS-102 brings Expedition Two crew plus equipment for Destiny and returns on Mar. 17 with
Expedition One crew.
Apr. 19, 2001 STS-100 delivers Remote Manipulator System and more laboratory equipment.
Jul. 12, 2001 STS-104 delivers the station’s joint airlock.
Aug. 12, 2001 STS-106 brings Expedition Three crew and returns on Aug. 22 with Expedition Two.
Sep. 16, 2001 Delivery of the Russian docking compartment by a Soyuz rocket.
Dec. 7, 2001 STS-108 arrives with Expedition Four crew and departs on Dec. 15 with Expedition Three crew.
Apr. 10, 2002 STS-110 delivers the S0 Truss.
Jun. 7, 2002 STS-111 arrives with Expedition Five crew and brings back Expedition Four crew.
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