International Space Station - Purpose

Purpose

According to the original Memorandum of Understanding between NASA and RSA, the International Space Station was intended to be a laboratory, observatory and factory in space. It was also planned to provide transportation, maintenance, and act as a staging base for possible future missions to the Moon, Mars and asteroids. In the 2010 United States National Space Policy, the ISS was given additional roles of serving commercial, diplomatic, and educational purposes.

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Famous quotes containing the word purpose:

    ... the word “education” has an evil sound in politics; there is a pretense of education,
    when the real purpose is coercion without the use of force.
    Hannah Arendt (1906–1975)

    Let our hearts, as subtle masters do,
    Stir up their servants to an act of rage
    And after seem to chide ‘em. This shall make
    Our purpose necessary, and not envious;
    Which so appearing to the common eyes,
    We shall be called purgers, not murderers.
    William Shakespeare (1564–1616)

    Whoever considers morality the main objective of human existence, seems to me like a person who defines the purpose of a clock as not going wrong. The first objective for a clock, is, however, that it does run; not going wrong is an additional regulative function. If not a watch’s greatest accomplishment were not going wrong, unwound watches might be the best.
    Franz Grillparzer (1791–1872)