Abstract
In the post-Challenger period, there was unfinished business with respect to international space partnerships. Increasing U.S. cooperation with other spacefaring countries had been one of the four principal objectives of the national space strategy approved by Ronald Reagan in August 1984. Between 1986 and 1988, there was significant progress in achieving that objective. One element of the strategy was to convince U.S. “friends and allies” to accept Ronald Reagan’s invitation to participate in the space station program. That effort involved crafting the agreements needed to underpin the space station partnership during the facility’s development and multidecade operation. Taking that step turned out to be a contentious process that extended for more than two years and several times teetered on the verge of failure before ultimate success. On another front, with new leadership in the Soviet Union in the form of Mikhail Gorbachev, who took office as general secretary of the Communist Party in March 1985, the Soviet attitude toward space cooperation with the United States changed, and eventually steps toward resuming U.S.-Soviet space cooperation followed. Gorbachev even proposed a joint human mission to Mars, but the United States was not willing to agree to such an ambitious venture.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Notes
- 1.
Richard J. Smith, Negotiating Environment and Science: An Insider’s View of International Agreements, from Driftnets to the Space Station (Washington, DC: Resources for the Future, 2012), 94–96.
- 2.
Letter from James Fletcher to John Poindexter, November 14, 1986, Box 14, Outer Space Files, RRL. Craig Covault, “U.S., Europe Deadlock on Station Participation,” AWST, November 24, 1986, 18; “U.S., Europeans Hold Further Talks on Space Station,” AWST, December 1, 1986, 33.
- 3.
Smith, Negotiating Environment and Science, 96–97.
- 4.
Memorandum from Cap Weinberger to Acting Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, “Space Station Negotiations,” December 1, 1986, and memorandum from Fred Ikle to Acting Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, “Space Station Negotiations,” December 4, 1986, CIA-RDP92B00181R001901730023-5, CREST.
- 5.
National Security Decision Directive 257, “Guidance to the U.S. Delegation for Negotiations with Western Europe, Japan and Canada on the Space Station,” February 3, 1987, https://www.reaganlibrary.gov/sites/default/files/archives/reference/scanned-nsdds/nsdd257.pdf.
- 6.
Smith, Negotiating Environment and Science, 99.
- 7.
Ibid., 94–100.
- 8.
Department of State, “Space Station Negotiations: February 25–27 Talks with ESA Members States,” undated, CIA-RDP92B00181R001901730003-7, CREST.
- 9.
Memorandum from Ralph Braibanti, OES, to Participants, Space Station Backstopping Group,” March 31, 1987, CIA-RDP92B00181R001901720002-9, CREST.
- 10.
Smith, Negotiating Environment and Science, 101; Donald Fink, “Space Station Skirmishes,” AWST, April 20, 1987, 11. Letter from Cap [Weinberger] to George [Shultz,] April 7, 1987, and handwritten note from “CP” (Colin Powell) to Frank (Carlucci), April 10, 1987, Folder 16765, NHRC; Theresa Foley, “International Negotiations Stalled by NASA/Military Station Dispute,” and Jeffrey Lenorovitz, “Europe Maintains Cautious Attitude on U.S. Station Cooperation,” AWST, April 20, 1987, 18, 20, 23.
- 11.
Letter from James Fletcher to Frank Carlucci, with attached paper “Space Station Negotiations: NASA Views,” April 13, 1987, Outer Space Files, RRL.
- 12.
Smith, Negotiating Environment and Science, 100–102; Theresa Foley, “Defense Department Backs Down on International Station Demands,” AWST, April 27, 1987, 42.
- 13.
This account of the negotiations is drawn from Smith, Negotiating Environment and Science, 102–107. See also Theresa Foley, “Station Talks Conclude Without Firm Commitments,” AWST, October 26, 1987.
- 14.
Theresa Foley, “Space Station Partners to Sign Pact Starting 30-Year Agreement,” AWST, September 12, 1988, 30.
- 15.
Office of the Press Secretary, The White House, “Statement by the President,” October 30, 1984, RAC 14, Papers of George Keyworth, RRL.
- 16.
Memorandum from John Zimmerman to Mark Palmer, “Future of US-Soviet Space Cooperation: Joint Planetary Research?” January 16, 1985; memorandum from Thomas Simons, Jr. to Richard Burt, “Expanded US-Soviet Space Cooperation,” February 5, 1985; handwritten note from “Gil” (Rye) to Jack Matlock, February 28, 1985; memorandum from Nicholas Platt to Robert McFarlane, “US-Soviet Space Cooperation,” March 22, 1985; memorandum from Gil Rye to Robert McFarlane, “U.S./Soviet Space Cooperation,” March 25, 1985, Box 35, USSR II Files, Papers of Jack Matlock, RRL.
- 17.
Memorandum from Robert McFarlane to George Shultz, “U.S./Soviet Space Cooperation,” with attached Non-Paper, July 29, 1985, Box 34, USSR II Files, Papers of Jack Matlock, RRL.
- 18.
“Impromptu Dinner Toasts, Geneva (Reagan-Gorbachev) Summit,” November 19, 1985, Papers of Jack Matlock, RRL.
- 19.
Richard Barnes, Memorandum for the Record, “US/Soviet Space Cooperation Agreement,” July 15, 1986, Box 6, Papers of James Fletcher, NARA.
- 20.
For Sagdeev’s reflections on his career, see Roald Sagdeev, The Making of a Soviet Scientist: My Adventures in Nuclear Fusion and Space from Stalin to Star Wars (New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1994). The account of Sagdeev’s initial interactions with Gorbachev is on 268–271.
- 21.
Memorandum from Lew Allen to Administrator, “Expert Talks with Soviets,” September 15, 1986, Box 6, Papers of James Fletcher, NARA; Craig Covault, “White House, Kremlin May Revive Cooperative Space Programs,” AWST, October 6, 1986, 23.
- 22.
“Reagan, Gorbachev Endorse Civil Space Cooperation,” AWST, October 27, 1986, 20. A copy of the State Department transcript of the summit discussions can be found at http://www.thereaganfiles.com/reykjavik-summit-transcript.pdf.
- 23.
Interview with John Negroponte, November 20, 2017; Craig Covault, “Soviet Negotiators Agree to New Space Cooperation Pact,” AWST, November 10, 1986, 27; letter from Cap Weinberger to George Schultz, November 13, 1986, Box 6, Papers of James Fletcher, NARA.
- 24.
Memorandum from Deputy Director of International Relations, NASA, to Michael Michaud, Department of State, “Proposed Civil Space Initiative for Summit,” October 6, 1987, Box 6, Papers of James Fletcher, NARA. Ronald Reagan: “Joint Statement on the Soviet-United States Summit Meeting,” December 10, 1987. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, APP, http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=33803.
- 25.
A copy of “The Mars Declaration” was provided to the author by Lou Friedman, former executive director of The Planetary Society. Also, The Planetary Society News Release, “Planetary Society Finds Broad Support for the Mars Declaration,” November 23, 1987, http://digitalcollections.library.cmu.edu/awweb/awarchive?type=file&item=678192.
- 26.
“To Mars, Via Moscow,” NYT, December 24, 1987.
- 27.
Transcript of interview with Mikhail Gorbachev, WP, May 22, 1988, https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1988/05/22/it-is-the-fate-of-our-two-countries-to-live-together/a846faa9-8130-45b9-b1e2-60a52df5191d/?utm_term=.63c4eb2920f7.
- 28.
Craig Covault, “Moscow Summit to Expand U.S./Soviet Space Ventures,” AWST, May 30, 1988, 16–17.
- 29.
Sagdeev, Making of a Soviet Scientist, 310–311.
- 30.
Personal communication from Lou Friedman.
- 31.
The White House, Memorandum of Conversation, “The President’s First One-on-One Meeting with General Secretary Gorbachev,” May 29, 1988, https://nsarchive2.gwu.edu//NSAEBB/NSAEBB251/15.pdf.
- 32.
Sagdeev, Making of a Soviet Scientist, 311.
- 33.
Ronald Reagan: “Joint Statement Following the Soviet-United States Summit Meeting in Moscow,” June 1, 1988. Online by Peters and Woolley, APP, http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=35902.
- 34.
Task Force on International Relations in Space, NASA Advisory Council, International Space Policy for the 1990s and Beyond, October 12, 1987, 32, 40.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2019 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Logsdon, J.M. (2019). Together in Orbit: Round Two. In: Ronald Reagan and the Space Frontier. Palgrave Studies in the History of Science and Technology. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-98962-4_22
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-98962-4_22
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-98961-7
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-98962-4
eBook Packages: HistoryHistory (R0)