Houston, we have a podcast.

Welcome to the official podcast of the NASA Johnson Space Center,

episode 184, Expedition 1, the Beginning.

I'm Pat Ryan.

On this podcast we talk with scientists, engineers,

astronauts, and all kinds of experts about their part in America's space

exploration program. Today we take you back in time a generation to when the permanent human presence on the

International Space Station began.

The first module of the International Space Station, the Zaria Control Module, was launched from

Kazakhstan on November 20, 1998, followed by five flights of NASA's space shuttles, which

delivered more components and equipment for the inside of the station.

But those shuttle crews stayed aboard only a short time.

It wasn't until October 31st of 2000 that the first permanent crew, Expedition 1, lifted off in their Soyuz spacecraft.

On November 2nd, it docked to the station's Zvezda module and station Commander Bill Shepard of NASA, Soyuzkah

and flight engineer Sergei Krikoyov floated inside to begin a global

adventure in space. We're going to let you get a peek inside in space.

We're going to let you get a peek inside that mission,

how it came to be, and how it established the pattern of operations

that has sustained this international endeavor for more than 20 years now, right into Expedition 64 aboard

the station today.

Recently, NASA kicked off a series of panel discussions in recognition of the 20th anniversary of continuous human presence on the station.

Like many other gatherings, in the age of COVID-19, this one was a virtual gathering of six participants on the internet.

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