The International Space Station Agreement of 1998

The International Space Station Agreement of 1998
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December 5, 2021
History of the International Space Station
Although the International Space Station (ISS) development has been successful in its current contributions and policy approach, its history has been laden with tensions and conflict between nations. As stated earlier, the development of both the policies and the technical aspects of the ISS has been significantly influenced by the Cold War era. This is one of the reasons why some would call the station not only a technological marvel but even a 'triumph of diplomacy' between opposing superpowers in the world CITATION Obe20 \l 1033 (Oberhaus, 2020).
The tension on the development of the ISS began during the time of the space race between nations. Despite its noble intentions, states competing with one another initially believed that the ISS poses the risks of being concealed as a weapon that could be used against other states. Nonetheless, NASA was able to get the 'go-signal' from the State, although building the station itself was believed to be a technical and financial impossibility during those times.
In order to bridge the enormous technical and financial gap between its plans, NASA then entered with diplomatic partnerships with other States. It bolstered its own shuttle program around the 1970s and found international contributors to help fund its endeavors. During those times, this move was considered unprecedented in their space program since the Apollo mission was funded mostly using the State's national budget.
Nevertheless, one of the main turning points in NASA's space policies was its success in the Apollo 11 mission of 1969. On the one hand, the success of Neil Armstrong in being the first person to step on the moon was an indicator to the international community of the United States' triumph in the space race. In the eyes ...