International Space Station (ISS). View of the International Space Station (ISS) over planet Earth. The United States-built connecting module Unity is seen in the foreground. The Russian-built module Zarya can be seen behind Unity at lower centre. The image was taken during Discovery Space Shuttle mission STS-96 (27 May-6 June 1999). The aim of the mission was to supply the ISS with equipment necessary so that it can support its first crew. During STS-96 a small satellite called STARSHINE was launched. The ISS will be completed in 2003 and will be used to study the effect of weightlessness on materials & biological tissues.