STS-88

space shuttle mission

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 19, 2026

Quick Summary

STS-88 was a Space Shuttle mission that marked a significant milestone in space exploration. It was the first mission dedicated to the assembly of the International Space Station (ISS). The mission, which took place from December 4 to December 15, 1998, involved the space shuttle Endeavour.123

The primary objective of STS-88 was to link the first two modules of the ISS in orbit: the Russian-built Zarya control module and the U.S.-built Unity connecting node. This crucial connection laid the foundation for the subsequent assembly and continuous occupation of the ISS, which began in November 2000. The mission crew consisted of six astronauts: Robert Cabana, Frederick Sturckow, Jerry Ross, Nancy Currie, James Newman, and Sergey Krikalyov.312

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

3 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Sergey Konstantinovich Krikalyov
…as a mission specialist aboard STS-88, during which the Endeavour space shuttle visited the International Space Station (ISS). The flight lasted 12 days. His fifth space mission was in 2000–01, when he served as flight engineer on Soyuz TM-31 as part of the first resident crew (Expedition 1) on the…
Read More
…as a mission specialist aboard STS-88, during which the Endeavour space shuttle visited the International Space Station (ISS). The flight lasted 12 days. His fifth space mission was in 2000–01, when he served as flight engineer on Soyuz TM-31 as part of the first resident crew (Expedition 1) on the…
Read More

Jerry Ross
…the Russian space station Mir), STS-88 (1998, the first assembly mission for the International Space Station [ISS]), and STS-110 (2002, another ISS assembly mission).
Read More
…the Russian space station Mir), STS-88 (1998, the first assembly mission for the International Space Station [ISS]), and STS-110 (2002, another ISS assembly mission).
Read More