The Space Station - Mankind's permanent presence in space

The present discussion is concerned with developments which led finally to the announcement of a new U.S. national commitment in January 1984. According to this announcement, plans are to be developed for the establishment of a permanently manned orbiting Space Station to be deployed within the decade. Early concepts regarding a space station go back to 1869, when a story was published in the 'Atlantic Monthly' about a large earth-orbiting sphere, built of brick, in which people lived and worked. Some decades later, the idea was taken up by Oberth in Germany and Tsiolkovsky in Russia. Their work had a decisive influence on Goddard in the U.S. and von Braun in Germany, who developed basic propulsion systems. Attention is given to rocket developments during and after the Second World War, the trip to the moon, the post-Apollo program, the Space Shuttle and the 1970's, planning for the Space Station, opposition to the Space Station, the Space Station debate, international and commercial interest, and the President's decision.