Launch of First ISS Component, November 1998

NASA ANNIVERSARY: Launch of First ISS Component, November 20, 1998 -- (VO) Fourteen years ago, on Nov. 20, 1998, Zarya, the first component of the new International Space Station was launched atop a Russian Proton rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. During the initial assembly stage of the ISS Zarya provided the station with propulsion, guidance, battery power, fuel storage, and rendezvous and docking capability for Soyuz and Progress space vehicles. Now that specialized components handle those chores for the station, Zarya is primarily used for storage. Courtesy NASA. Watch more space and aviation videos at Please visit our channel to subscribe. .