First Crew, Last Frontier
As the new millennium gathers speed, Earth is moving off planet. With the successful launch and docking of Expedition One to the International Space Station, the first "Citizens of Space" have officially opened the doors on Earth's newest home for the next 10-15 years. The station's first commander is an American, Navy Captain and former SEAL, William M. "Bill" Shepherd. He is joined by Yuri P. Gidzenko, 35, a lieutenant colonel in the Russian Air Force, and Sergei K. Krikalev, 38, a veteran Russian astronaut. After a two-day trip aboard the Soyuz rocket, they opened the station's hatch on November 2 to begin a permanent living presence in space.

Moving Day
When they arrived, the station was dark and silent. "We'll be turning the lights on," said Captain Shepherd. "One of the biggest challenges is finding everything." They'll go through their new house starting systems, unpacking cargo and arranging living quarters. As the first crew, they'll perform a flight test as they assist with critical assembly on the largest, most complex structure ever built in orbit. "At long last the station will take shape as the first crew will finally begin to do some work to prepare everything for the future crews," said Gidzenko. A big challenge is stowing all the gear and supplies left on previous visits by Progress cargo crafts and shuttles (something Shepherd likens to a tidy pile of gifts under the Christmas tree that, once opened, become significantly bigger).

A 17,500MPH Shakedown Cruise
This four-month mission is really one major tune-up job. "Even putting a crew on is really just the first step in finishing the construction of this really huge station in space," said Shepherd. But their scaffolding is 220 miles up, traveling 17,500mph and under construction until 2003. They'll be swapping hard hats for helmets, power tools for cordless ones, and jeans for spacesuits. Their "starter home" consists of three modules: the Russian Zvezda Service Module, serving as living quarters and onboard control center; the U.S.-funded and Russian-built Zarya Control Module, providing supplementary power and propulsion functions; and the U.S.-built Node 1, a connecting module providing attachment points for future U.S. segments.The Soyuz will remain docked as an emergency return vehicle.

The House That Earth Built
The story of the first crew is not just one story, but thousands of stories. It's about a vast group of people working around the world who share the same dream: to live in space. A group that has collectively chosen time and again to bypass "What if" and ask, "Why not?" Over the past 20 years, sixteen countries have come together to pool talents, skills, resources, finances, dedication and enthusiasm. The reality of the station is the most cooperative peacetime venture since the formation of the United Nations. It's an amazing feat--not just technically, but politically, internationally, culturally and historically.