State of the Union 1984 - President Reagan Directs NASA to Build a Space Station,
January 25, 1984, Space Center Hou
President Ronald Reagan announced
the idea for the space station, Freedom.
Beginnings of the International Space Station, 1993, Clinton Digital Library
Beginnings of the International Space Station, 1993, Clinton Digital Library
However, Freedom faced strong opposition
from Congress as budgets increased and planned deployments were often delayed.
Costs of Space Station Freedom, May 1, 1991, C-Span
NASA's Share of the U.S. Budget, September 23, 2021, The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR)
Meanwhile, Russia was still struggling financially
after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Russian GDP (PPP) Since Fall of Soviet Union, 2013, International Monetary Fund
As a result, the United States and Russia
agreed to strengthen diplomatic ties
and work together on a costly space station issue.
President Clinton decided to keep the space station intact,
but reduced its size and decisively requested
Russian cooperation for its design.
Vancouver Summit Press Conference with Clinton & Yeltsin, April 4, 1993, Clinton Presidential Library
This was reinforced in 1993 when he proposed
the formation of the Gore-Chernomyrdin Commission
to lay the groundwork for closer technological,
economic, and diplomatic integration and
to build a new, modern space station.
Gore-Chernomyrdin Commission Case Study & Retrospective,
May 16, 2012, Veep Critique
Michael Gordon, Gore in Russia, Hoping to Be Cast in a Different Light,
September 22, 1997, NY Times
Russia - Al Gore Visits Russian Prime Minister, July 1, 1995, AP Archive
Steven Holmes, U.S. and Russians Join in New Plan for Space Station, September 3, 1993, NY Times
