In 1957, America's first attempt at putting a satellite into orbit failed when the Vanguard rocket carrying it blew up on the launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida. With a series of rumbles audible for miles around, the vehicle, having risen about four feet into the air, suddenly sank. Falling against the firing structure, fuel tanks rupturing as it did so, the rocket toppled to the ground on the northeast or ocean side of the structure in a roaring, rolling, ball-shaped volcano of flame.

Astronauts aboard the space shuttle Endeavour in orbit over the southern Pacific Ocean used a robot arm to begin assembly of the International Space Station. Endeavour was launched on 4 Dec 1998, and reached the already orbitting Zarya, a 22-ton, a U.S.-funded, Russian-built module launched earlier. In preparation, on 5 Dec, Unity was removed from the cargo bay and connected to Endeavour's docking system. Unity, the first U.S.-built component of the ISS was built as a six-sided connecting module, 18-ft long and 15-ft diameter with six berthing ports. On 6 Dec 1998, Zarya was connected to Unity at the port opposite the Shuttle and cables, connectors and hand rails were attached during three space walks. By 7 Dec, Unity was ready and powered up.