USA 1998: FDC T2 “Endeavour STS-88 - 1st ISS Assembly Mission, NODE-1 ZARYA Junction” (STS88-T2)

Assembly of the ISS (1998)

The project to build a large orbital station was adopted on January 24, 1984, by President Reagan. From the outset, NASA solicited the participation of Europe, Japan, and Canada. The Freedom (later Alpha) station would serve as an observatory of the Earth and the Universe. It would specialize in scientific research and industrial development. The program underwent numerous upheavals, and it would not be until the year 2000 that crews would be able to reside there permanently.

In 1992, the U.S. Congress was preparing to guillotine the project following another cost overrun. Desperate, the Americans turned to the Russians, who were preparing to replace the Mir station. Thus was born a hybrid station project consisting of eleven Russian modules, to which eight components and the immense solar panel structure of the "Freedom" project were added. This new station was named the International Space Station "ISS."

December 4, 1998: The American space shuttle Endeavour STS-88 docks the Node-1 - Unity module with the ISS.

First mission to the International Space Station. STS-88 crew: Sergei Krikaliov, Jerry Ross, Robert Cabana, F. Sturckow, J. Newman, and N. Currie. This seven-day mission was to add the American Unity module to the Russian Node-1 Zarya module, previously launched into orbit.