Steps of ISS assembly

On October 1, 2005 the Russian manned transport spacecraft Soyuz TMA-7 was launched by Soyuz-FG launch vehicle (ISS assembly program, flight number 11S) and on October 3, 2005 the spacecraft docked to the Station. Soyuz TMA-7 carries Expedition Twelve (ISS-12) crew consisting of a Russian cosmonaut, Valeri Tokarev and U.S. astronaut William McArthur, as well as a U.S. businessman, Gregory Olsen, spaceflight participant performing a flight under the ninth Russian visiting crew program (VC-9). The launch is aimed at a scheduled rotation of the Expedition Eleven (ISS-11) crew, as well as changeover of Soyuz TMA-6 spacecraft, which had been operating within the orbital station as a crew rescue vehicle since April 17, 2005; solution of the Expedition crew flight logistics tasks, as well as maintenance of the Station and its systems functionality.
On October 11, 2005 Soyuz TMA-6 undocked from the ISS and on this very day the spacecraft descent module carrying a spaceflight participant Gregory Olsen and ISS-11 crew: John Fillips and Sergey Krikalev returned to the Earth.

On December 21, 2005, a Soyuz-U launch vehicle was launched from the Baikonur launch site carrying logistics spacecraft Progress M-55 (ISS flight program mission number 20P), which docked with ISS on December 23. The objective of this launch was to deliver to ISS cargoes and propellant that are necessary to assure its continued operation in manned mode, to provide life support for the crew and to replenish the ISS propulsion system with propellant and gases. Progress M-55 delivered to the space station about 2.5 tons of various cargoes, including oxygen, air, potable water, food, payloads for conducting experiments under programs of the Russian Academy of Sciences, European Space Agency and Japan, on-board documentation, parcels and New Year gifts for the crew. Established in orbit was a system consisting of: in the Russian Segment - functional and cargo module (FGB) Zarya, Service Module Zvezda, Docking Compartment/Module Pirs, manned spacecraft Soyuz TMA-7, logistics vehicles Progress M-54, Progress M-55; in the US Orbital Segment - modules Unity, Destiny, Quest airlock and a multi-element truss structure with deployed solar arrays. The overall system mass is about 191.7 tons.
On June 19, 2006 the cargo transport vehicle Progress M-55 was undocked from the ISS, deorbited and sunk in a pre-set area of the Pacific Ocean.

On March 30, 2006 Souyz TMA-8 Russian transport manned spacecraft was launched by Soyuz FG from Baikonur cosmodrome (ISS assembly program, Flight 12S) and docked to the station on April 1, 2006. The Soyuz TMA-8 spacecraft carries Expedition Thirteen (ISS-13) crew consisting of Russian cosmonaut Pavel Vinogradov, U.S. astronaut Jeffry Williams, and spaceflight participant, the first Brazilian astronaut Marcos Pontes performing a flight under the tenth Russian visiting crew (VC-10).
The launch is aimed at a scheduled rotation of the Expedition Twelve (ISS-12) crew and changeover of Soyuz TMA-7 spacecraft, which had been operating within the ISS orbital complex as a crew rescue vehicle since October 3, 2005; logistics support of the expedition crew flight, as well as functional support of the station and its systems.
On April 9, 2006 the Soyuz TMA-7 spacecraft undocked from the ISS and the very same day the descent module carrying a flight participant Marcos Pontes, and ISS-12 crew William McArthur and Valery Tokarev returned to the Earth.

On April 24, 2006 Baikonur Cosmodrome saw the launch of the Soyuz-U launch vehicle together with Progress M-56 transport cargo space vehicle (ISS Mission Program, flight number 21P), with the latter docked to the ISS on April 26th.
Progress M-56 space vehicle delivered to the station different cargoes weighing totally some 2.6 tons. Of this tonnage, 870 kg of fuel were in the tanks of the station refuelling propulsion system and the cargoes of over 1 ton were accommodated in the pressurized compartment. Among the cargoes in this compartment there were potable water, food products, medical equipment, means and prophylaxis of personal hygiene; the USOS equipment; equipment for onboard systems and research; personal and firefighting means; onboard documentation and parcels for crew members. The on-orbit Complex is formed: Russian Segment - Functional Cargo Block Zarya, Service Module Zvezda, docking compartment - module Pirs, Progress M-55, Progress M-56 and Soyuz TMA-8 transport space vehicles; the USOS - modules Unity, Destiny, airlock Quest and multielement truss structure with the solar arrays deployed.
On September 19, 2006 the cargo transport vehicle Progress M-56 was undocked from the ISS, deorbited and sunk in a pre-set area of the Pacific Ocean.

On June 24, 2006, a Soyuz-U launch vehicle carrying the Progress M-57 logisticsspacecraft (mission number 22P under the ISS program) was launch from Baikonur launch site. On June 26 the spacecraft docked with ISS. The objective of the launch was to deliver to the space station cargoes required for continuing its operation in manned mode, providing life support to the crew, refueling the tanks of the propulsion system. Progress M-57 delivered ~ 2.6 tons of various cargoes to the station, including scientific hardware and equipment to perform onboard activities under Russian and foreign partners' programs. The space station currently consists of: the Russian Segment - the Functional Cargo Module (FGB) Zarya, Service Module Zvezda, Docking Module Pirs, transportation spacecraft Soyuz TMA-8, Progress M-56 and Progress M-57; and the US Orbital Segment - Unity and Destiny modules, Quest airlock and a multi-element truss structure carrying deployed solar arrays.
On January 17, 2007 the cargo transport vehicle Progress M-57 was undocked from the ISS, deorbited and sunk in a pre-set area of the Pacific Ocean.

On July 4, 2006 U.S. Space Shuttle Discovery, STS-121 (ISS Assembly Program, Flight ULF1.1) was launched and on July 6th successfully docked to the ISS.
The Space Shuttle crew consists of NASA astronauts, namely Steven Lindsey (commander), Mark Kelly (pilot), Michael Fossum, Lisa Nowak, Stephanie Diana, Piers Sellers (flight specialists), as well as ESA astronaut Thomas Reiter (flight specialist). The objective of the mission is to deliver the third Increment 13 crewmember (ISS-13), Thomas Reiter to the ISS, outfit the ISS with complementary equipment and consumables using Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo, return the equipment (including sets of the Kurs docking equipment) and experiments performed on the ISS. During the mated flight the U.S. astronauts conducted three EVAs, at which repair and assembly activities were carried out on the station exterior surface, as well as inspected the Shuttle exterior surface for damages. Furthermore, during the flight engineering designs aimed at increasing the Space Shuttle flight safety were verified under real conditions. On July 15th 2006 the Space Shuttle Discovery carrying six astronauts undocked from the ISS, and on July 17th it successfully landed in Cape Canaveral, Florida, the USA.

On September 9, 2006 the US reusable system Space Shuttle with Atlantis Orbiter was launched under STS-115 (ISS assembly program, flight number 12A). On September 11, 2006 Atlantis Orbiter was successfully docked to the ISS. Among crew members are US astronauts Brent W. Jett, Jr (commander), Christopher J. Ferguson (pilot), Joseph R. Tanner, Daniel C. Burbank, Heidemarie M. Stefanyshyn - Piper and Canadian astronaut Steven G. MacLean (all of them are flight specialists). The main flight tasks involve in-orbit delivery of truss structure with solar array kit and its assembly on the ISS, as well as resupply of the station with extra equipment and consumables. During the joint flight the astronauts had carried out three space walks, during which assembly truss P3/P4 was installed, with subsequent deployment of new solar arrays thereon, as well as dismantling of scientific equipment installed on external surface of the USOS was carried out. On September 17, 2006 Atlantis Orbiter carrying six astronauts was undocked from the ISS, on September 21 Atlantis Orbiter touched down successfully cape Canaveral, Florida, USA.

On September 18, 2006 Soyuz-FG launch vehicle provided the launch of Russian transport manned space vehicle Soyuz TMA-9 (ISS assembly program, flight number 13S), which was docked to the station on September 20. The Soyuz TMA-9 carries two crewmembers of 14th Prime Crew (ISS-14): US astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegria and Russian astronaut Mikhail Tyurin, as well as space flight participant, US citizen Anousheh Ansari involved in the flight under the 11th Russian Visiting Crew Program. The launch is aimed at the scheduled change of two crewmembers of the 13th Prime Crew (ISS-13), as well as Soyuz TMA-8 space vehicle, which has been in orbit as part of the ISS Orbital Complex and rescue vehicle since April 1, 2006; solving the problems of logistics support during Prime Crew members flight, as well as maintenance of the station and its systems serviceability.
On September 29, 2006 Soyuz TMA-8 space vehicle was undocked from the ISS and on the same day the space vehicle descent module carring space flight participant Anousheh Ansari and two ISS-13 crewmembers Pavel Vinogradov and Jeffrey Williams had returned to Earth.

On October 23, 2006 Soyuz-U launch vehicle with Progress M-58 transport cargo vehicle (ISS flight program, flight number 24P) was launched from Baikonur launch site. On October 26th the cargo vehicle docked to the ISS. The launch is aimed at delivering cargo to the ISS, which is required to continue the station manned operation, support crew living and working conditions, and re-supply the propulsion system tanks with propellant. The cargo vehicle delivered about 2.4 tons of various cargo to the station, including 880 kg of propellant, 52 kg of oxygen, as well as 1221 kg of cargo in the pressurized compartment. Among the cargo in this compartment are foodstuff, medical hardware, personal hygiene and countermeasure items, equipment for the US Segment, onboard systems and science research, individual protection gear and fire protection devices, flight data files, and parcels for the crew. The orbital complex is made up of the Functional Cargo Module Zarya, Service Module Zvezda, docking module Pirs, manned vehicle Soyuz TMA-9, Progress M-57 and Progress M-58, the US On-Orbit Segment is made up of modules Unity and Destiny, airlock Quest and multi-link truss structure with deployed solar arrays items.
On March 27, 2007 the cargo transport vehicle Progress M-58 was undocked from the ISS. On March 28 it was deorbited and sunk in a pre-set area of the Pacific Ocean.