International Space Station -- Zarya Control Module Launched into Orbit

The Zarya Functional Cargo Block, the first component of the International Space Station, launched aboard a Russian Proton-K rocket from Baikonur Cosmodrome. The 19,323-kilogram module provided the station's initial propulsion and power during early assembly. Two weeks later, on December 4, 1998, the Space Shuttle Endeavour delivered the Unity connecting node, which was mated to Zarya during three spacewalks. The ISS became a partnership of five space agencies representing 15 countries, and continuous human habitation began on November 2, 2000, when the Expedition 1 crew arrived. The station has been continuously occupied ever since.