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international cooperation in the development and operation of the space station has both advantages and drawbacks.  Many of the advantages are obvious: shared cost, strengthened economic and diplomatic ties; some of the drawbacks are obvious also: technology transfer, etc..  There are also many interesting problems that officials are only just beginning to encounter in the Space Shuttle program.  For example, how do you accommodate the customs of various cultures? what is the "official language"? How will governments share the rights to space "spin-offs"?

Relations between nations are dynamic, to say the least.  Space cooperation is a long-term contract.  We will be entering agreements with allies which may not produce visible benefits for several years...will those countries still be our closest allies?  Which emerging nations will be left out of these agreements?  It is obviously desirable to build flexibility into the partnerships we concoct.

Need astronaut-oriented view of the station:  how easy would it be to build with the RMS how often can you go EVA shower 

what are people currently working on how important are psychological considerations