Challenges to U.S.-Russian Cooperation in the Manned Space Program

The U.S. and Russia agreed to merge their manned space program and to partner in a new international space station. This agreement took place in 1993 and politically symbolized the end of the Cold War and a new cooperative relationship between the two countries. Yet, the despite this enthusiastic agreement and the absence of the Cold War, there are still challenges both countries face that must be overcome if the joint space venture is to be successful. These challenges have little to do with space, but are imbedded and interwoven in the U.S. and Russia's political and economic systems. As Russia emerges as an emerging democracy it faces uncertainty politically and economically. This unstable situation, combined with the past and current political situations create new challenges for both the U.S. and Russia to overcome to be successful in the cooperative manned space program.