The space station and multinational collaboration a merger of domestic and foreign policy

On January 25, 1984, in his State of the Union address, President Ronald Reagan announced, “Tonight, I am directing NASA to develop a permanently manned space station and to do it within a decade.” He said such a station had potential for “research in science, communications, in metals, and in lifesaving medicines which could be manufactured only in space.” Then he declared, “We want our friends to help us meet these challenges and share in their benefits. NASA will invite other countries to participate so we can strengthen peace, build prosperity, and expand freedom for all who share our goals” (McCurdy 1990, 190).