On This Day in Space History

A CHRONICLE OF SPACEFLIGHT

THE SPACE RACE · THE SHUTTLE ERA · ROBOTIC EXPLORATION · 1957–PRESENT

Welcome to On This Day A daily chronicle of humanity in space — the launches, landings, spacewalks, and firsts that mark the space age. Start here. Read the welcome →
November 20
International Space Station
Mission
International Space Station
Series
Roscosmos
Venue
Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Date
November 20, 1998
Agency
Roscosmos
Nickname
First module of the International Space Station launches

First module of the International Space Station launches

The Zarya control module, the first component of the International Space Station, was launched on a Russian Proton rocket. It provided the initial power and propulsion for what would grow into the largest structure humans have ever assembled in space.

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