SPACEPHOTOS

Krunichev State Research and Production Space Center (KhSC), Moscow, September 1997 - Russian technicians work on the almost completed aft portion of the U.S.-funded and Russian-built Functional Cargo Block (Russian acronym FGB), the first element of the International Space Station planned to be launched in June 1998 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazahkstan. In July 1998, the Shuttle Endeavour will rendezvous with the unpiloted FGB and attach the U.S. Node 1. The aft docking mechanism, on the right in this view with ventilation ducting running through it, will dock with the third station element, the Russian Service Module, in orbit in December 1998. Built at Khrunichev, the FGB began pre-launch testing shortly after this photo was taken. The FGB will be transported by rail to the Baikonur launch site in January 1998.