Part 3/8:
Merging Visions: From Freedom to International Cooperation
The late 1980s and early 1990s brought significant changes, leading to discussions about cooperation rather than competition. By 1993, amidst the reform of a new Russia, American and Russian officials started serious negotiations for joint participation in a new space station program.
The collaboration led to the decision for the U.S. to fund Russia’s construction of the core module for a new project dubbed the International Space Station. This partnership enabled NASA to benefit from the existing Soviet technology while also integrating various international partners. By 1995, the first bridges were built as American astronauts docked with Mir, marking the beginning of hands-on collaboration in space.