Expedition 1 Arrives at the International Space Station on Nov. 2, 2000

On November 2, 2000, the International Space Station (ISS) welcomed its first long-term residents, marking the arrival of Expedition 1. The crew consisted of NASA astronaut Bill Shepherd and Russian cosmonauts Yuri Gidzenko and Sergei Krikalev. This mission differed from previous operations because the crew arrived via a Russian Soyuz spacecraft, which was the first Soyuz to dock with the station, rather than a Space Shuttle. While NASA had previously launched five one-week Space Shuttle missions to construct the station and deliver supplies, Expedition 1 established a continuous human presence by planning a four-and-a-half-month stay.

During their time aboard the ISS, the Expedition 1 crew unpacked supplies and installed new equipment, including the station’s first solar arrays. The mission concluded when the crew departed aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery, which simultaneously delivered the Expedition 2 crew to take their place. This transition ensured that the station remained continuously occupied, a status that has persisted for 26 years according to the source.

The arrival of Expedition 1 is significant as it demonstrated that the ISS could successfully support human crews living and working in orbit. Although the ISS was not the first space station, it has become the longest-running one. Since these initial pioneers, hundreds of astronauts from around the world have flown to and lived aboard the station. While NASA has indicated the station may be decommissioned in the coming years, the source notes that these early accomplishments remain a permanent part of spaceflight history.