The Russian scholar who laid the theoretical foundation for space exploration,
Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, imagined, in one of his start-of-the-century science
fiction novels, how a Russian-American-German-French-British-Italian crew
manned an interplanetary spacecraft. He hoped that
"the human race was taking hold of the global ocean which seems to
be meant for bringing people closer together, for turning them all into
one family..."
The idea of international cooperation is part and parcel of the theory
of space exploration which treats Earth as a fairly small home of the human
race rather than a quilt work of nations.
Yuri Gagarin of the Soviets was the first to see Earth from high
above. His flight was followed by the most impressive American missions.
US astronauts left their footprints on the moon. Other nations joined the
space club and experience proved that maximally effective space missions
required concerted effort.
US astronaut Neil Armstrong wrote after a visit to the Gagarin memorial
museum that Gagarin had invited the human race to follow him into outer
space. Armstrong saw the first step he made on lunar surface as "one small
step for man but one giant leap for mankind."
Those who opened a way into the Universe want outer space to be a
zone of peace and space missions to benefit the whole of the human race.
The world's first spaceman Yuri Gagarin felt that
"space exploration would get a fantastic boost if scholars
of all nations joined forces in a bid to find out more about outer space.
Outer space is eternal and extends indefinitely far out. There is enough
room for everyone there."
 Not
a single nation, however advanced from the technical point of view, will
be able to do single-handedly what all nations can do by concerted effort.
Space exploration requires a concerted effort by all nations. And, space
achievements should be shared by all nations.
The Soyuz-Apollo flight of 1975 was the first of international manned
missions. Hear a recording of a conversation between two Soviet cosmonauts,
Aleksei Leonov and Valery Kubasov, and US astronaut Thomas Stafford. The
recording was made when the Soyuz was docking with the Apollo:
"Alyosha, will you please advise me when you are beginning to maneuver,
" - Apollo commander Stafford says. - "The Soyuz' docking module is ready!"
-  Aleksei
Leonov shoots back. - "So is ours," - comes Stafford's reply.
Three meters, two, one - docking! Okay, the "Soyuz" and the "Apollo"
have shaken hands. - We'll be happy to shake your hands aboard the "Soyuz."
- Thanks, Alyosha, thanks to you and Valery!"
Next to hear is a fragment of a press conference held right from
outer space by Russian and Indian spacemen. This is what Indian astronaut
Rakesh Sharma told media people:
"Our joint effort was a success. I often consulted with the Russian
crewmen who helped me control the complicated and highly versatile machinery
of the station. All the planned experiments, a total of 43, have been carried
out! It is fruit of a  collective
effort!"
The Russian-made space lab Mir served for 15 years as the bulwark
of international cooperation in outer space. As many as 104 spacemen, including
62 foreigners, visited that space lab. Seven US astronauts were members
of its resident crews, and 38 crewmen of US-made space shuttles that docked
with Mir had a chance to take a look at the orbital station.
Mir crews carried out as many as 16500 scientific experiments in
the context of 24 international research programs. As many as 27 countries
sent 11.5 tons of research hardware to that space station. As many as 600
technological processes were to be updated for the creation of Mir.
Work aboard the Soviet-made space station Mir highlighted the basic
principles for construction ventures in outer space. This is what makes
Mir so important. Eighteen countries that joined forces for the construction
of the international space station agree that sizable things are to be
assembled in outer space from fragments manufactured on Earth.
Chief designer Yuri Semyonov pins hope for the future on cooperation
with foreign partners. Space exploration is not a single-handed effort,"
- he says, - "it requires too much capital investment."
There are many things that the Russians can be proud of and that
the foreign partners of Russia may want to share with the Russians. What
about the most interesting plans for the longest of joint ventures into
outer space and for the construction of the international space station?
Joint plans have been drawn up for more space flights and for assembly
operations in outer space.
All that will hopefully benefit the whole of the human race and advance
the theory of space exploration.
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