Although space stations have been functioning since the 1970s, during which time thousands of experiments have been performed, many observers question the value of this research. This skepticism is voiced by citizen groups questioning whether the research done has civilian application, by legislators questioning whether the billions of dollars spent might not be better spent elsewhere, and by scientists who believe the huge expenditures for a relatively small number of big projects might be better spent on a larger number of small projects.

When asked what good has come from space stations, managers of the U.S. space program often find it difficult to answer by citing tangible results. Bob Marshall, director at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) for NASA, found himself in this dilemma when he gave this rather perplexing response: "The main reason we're building the International...