November 20, 2018
Categories: History, ISS

In 2018, it is 20th anniversary of the most significant international space projects, the largest manned artificial satellite of the Earth – the International Space Station (ISS).

20 years ago, on January 29, an agreement on the creation of a space station was signed in Washington, and on November 20, 1998, construction of the station began – from the Baikonur cosmodrome, the “Proton” launch vehicle was successfully launched with the first module, the functional cargo block “Zarya”.

In the same year, on December 7, the second element of the orbital station, the “Unity” connection module, was docked with the block “Zarya”.

Two years later a new element was added – a service module “Zvezda”.

On November 2, 2000, the International Space Station began its work in the manned mode.

The “Soyuz TM-31” spacecraft with the crew of the first long-term expedition docked to the “Zvezda” service module.

The approach of the ship to the station was carried out according to the scheme, that was used when flying to the “Mir” station.

Ninety minutes after docking, the hatch was open, and the ISS-1 crew first stepped aboard the ISS.

The crew of the ISS-1 consisted of Russian cosmonauts Yuri Gidzenko, Sergey Krikalev and American astronaut William Shepherd.

On March 21, 2001, with the US space shuttle “Discovery”, which delivered the crew of the second expedition to the ISS, the crew of the first long-term mission returned to Earth.

The landing site was the J.F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida, USA.

Today, the ISS is the largest international project, piloted orbital station, used as a multipurpose space research complex.

Space agencies ROSCOSMOS (Russia), NASA (USA), JAXA (Japan), CSA (Canada), ESA (European countries) are participating in this global project.

ISS is a unique experience of international cooperation, support and mutual assistance; construction and operation in near-earth orbit of a large engineering structure, which is of great importance for the future of all mankind.

DCIM101GOPRO

4078447278 (1)

6306596165 (1)

5459060557

5679887746

More from this category:
June 22, 2021

The International Space Station orbit altitude is to be increased by 890 meters on June 24, 2021 during a reboost with the Progress MS-16 cargo…

full story
July 10, 2013

According to the ISS flight schedule station reboost maneuver was carried out on July 10, 2013. In accordance with TSNIIMASH ballistics and navigational support service…

full story
April 22, 2014

The launch of Russian-German SPACE observatory designed to study black holes, galactic clusters and dark matter was shifted to 2017 since German specialists fail to…

full story
May 21, 2018

On May 21, 2018, on the territory of the test training complex (17th site) of the Baikonur complex, at the flag-raising ceremony of the countries,…

full story
September 23, 2014

Today, on September 23, 2014 Soyuz-FG booster with Soyuz TMA-14M spacecraft was rolled-out to #1 launchpad (Gagarin launch). After the booster was installed and service…

full story
May 31, 2019

The “Proton-M” carrier rocket with the “Breeze-M” upper stage, launched from the Baikonur cosmodrome on May 30 at 20:42 (Moscow time), successfully delivered the “Yamal-601”…

full story
June 23, 2020

Russia has begun to develop the first moon landing mission scheme Russia has begun to develop a scheme for the first mission of landing cosmonauts…

full story
June 9, 2015

Roscosmos will perform 6 more space launches in accordance with the ISS flight program by the end of 2015, – Federal Space Agency reports today,…

full story