Khrunichev State Research and Production Space CenterProton-K81/23 (81L), Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan

Zarya

Launched

November 20, 1998

Launch Successful

Summary

Zarya launched on a Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center Proton-K from 81/23 (81L), Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan on November 20, 1998. It was Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center's 57th launch, 6th this year and humanity's 4,279th orbital launch attempt. It was the 28th Proton-K flight and the 1st this year. The payload was bound for low Earth orbit (LEO). Zarya, one of 36 catalogued objects, reached a 184 × 351 km orbit inclined 51.6°. 36 objects from this launch are catalogued, 30 of them payloads.

Watch: No webcast on record.
Vehicle: Proton-K · Khrunichev State Research and Production Space CenterInternational Space Station
Booster: No booster details on record.
Mission: Human Exploration · Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
Milestone: 28th Proton-K flight · 1st this yearKhrunichev State Research and Production Space Center's 57th launch6th this yearhumanity's 4,279th orbital launch attempt72nd orbital launch attempt this year

Flight preview

Orbit: as tracked

51.6°Inclination

184 × 351 kmPerigee × apogeefrom mean elements

89.7 minPeriodfrom mean elements

168.4°Ascending node

10192 d agoElement epoch1998-11-20 06:49 UTC · stale

Zarya · NORAD 25544 · 1998-067 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 36 objects

Show the numbers

Object: ISS (ZARYA)
Object ID: 1998-067A
Epoch: 1998-11-20 06:49:59 UTC
Mean motion: 16.05064833 rev/day
Eccentricity: 0.0125362
Inclination: 51.5908°
Ascending node: 168.3788°
Arg. of perigee: 86.4185°
Mean anomaly: 359.7454°
Element set: 999
Rev at epoch: 0
B*: 0

Perigee, apogee and period are Kepler figures from the catalogued mean elements, not a propagated state. Published orbit: LEO. Ascent drawn from padside's representative profile.

Catalogued objects

36 catalogued: 30 payloads, 1 rocket stage, 1 debris, 4 components; 13 still in orbit

Zarya · NORAD 25544
ILLUMA-T · NORAD 60181
Dragonfly · NORAD 65729 · re-entered January 31, 2026
Hamorun · NORAD 65732 · re-entered February 16, 2026
Raicho · NORAD 65733 · re-entered January 21, 2026
YOTSUBA-KULOVER · NORAD 65941 · re-entered April 17, 2026
IWATU · NORAD 65942 · re-entered March 4, 2026
BOTAN · NORAD 65943 · re-entered April 19, 2026
DUPLEX · NORAD 66906 · in orbit
CU Alpha · NORAD 66908 · re-entered May 8, 2026
SilverSat · NORAD 66909 · re-entered April 23, 2026
KNACKSAT-2 · NORAD 67683 · in orbit

Show 18 more payloads

CORAL · NORAD 67684 · re-entered August 1, 2026
Gxiba-1 · NORAD 67685 · in orbit
UiTMSAT-2 · NORAD 67686 · in orbit
LEOPARD · NORAD 67687 · in orbit
Teruteru · NORAD 67688 · in orbit
Hokushin-1 · NORAD 69648 · in orbit
HUCSat · NORAD 69794 · in orbit
Proves-Electra · NORAD 69795 · in orbit
LeopardSat-1 · NORAD 69796 · in orbit
Proves-Alcyone · NORAD 69797 · in orbit
Proves-Atlas · NORAD 69798 · in orbit
Coconut · NORAD 69799 · in orbit
ASC · re-entered December 3, 2025
Horai · re-entered March 10, 2026
RHOK-SAT · re-entered May 8, 2026
ContentCube · re-entered May 17, 2026
EagleSat-2 · re-entered April 11, 2026
Foras Promineo · re-entered July 1, 2026

Proton-K 395-01 Stage 3 · re-entered November 27, 1998

Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org

About this launch

The Zarya Control Module, also known by the technical term Functional Cargo Block and the Russian acronym FGB, was the first component launched for the International Space Station. This module was designed to provide the station's initial propulsion and power. The 19,323 kilogram pressurized module was launched on a Russian Proton rocket in November 1998.

Pad

81/23 (81L), Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan

82nd launch from 81/23 (81L), 5th this year · 1,118th from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan

104 launches from this pad · 1,565 from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan

16 days after the previous launch from this pad

All launches from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan Open in maps

Questions

When did Zarya launch?

Zarya launched on November 20, 1998. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.

Where can I watch Zarya?

No webcast is on record for this launch.

What rocket launched Zarya?

Proton-K, flown by Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center. Proton-K spec sheet

Where did Zarya launch from?

81/23 (81L), Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan.

What orbit did Zarya reach?

Zarya, one of 36 catalogued objects, reached a 184 × 351 km orbit inclined 51.6°.

How many satellites did Zarya launch?

30 payloads from this launch are catalogued, 13 of them still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).

Which program is Zarya part of?

International Space Station. About International Space Station