The International Space Station's place in U.S. space activities from 2000-2017

The International Space Station (ISS) has been the centrepiece of the US manned spaceflight programme for decades. The ISS is the largest facility ever built in space. The station is a prime example of a large-scale technology project of national and international significance. It costs NASA $3 billion to $4 billion annually, and over $100 billion has been invested by the US in the station over time. The author of the article draws attention to the special role of the International Space Station in US space activities from 2000 to 2017, under the administrations of J. Bush Jr. and B. Obama. The International Space Station is a unique project that demonstrates what successes can be achieved by different countries in the course of peaceful scientific and technological co-operation. The author's goals and objectives have led to the use of the following research methods: problem-chronological and historical-legal. The International Space Station also acts as a catalyst for the development of commercial space companies. The Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) programme aimed to stimulate commercial space transportation companies by creating a market for cargo deliveries to the International Space Station. The COTS programme has led to less expensive and less risky options for delivering payloads to NASA and other customers in space. The author concludes that the International Space Station is important to the United States because it keeps the U.S. manned spaceflight programme on track, it hosts scientific experiments and new technologies, and it serves as a platform for cooperation with other spacefaring nations. That is why the decision to extend the station's operation has been taken repeatedly by the United States administration.