THE SPACE STATION, NASA AND CONGRESS - MICROMANAGING SPACE POLICY

The Space Station Freedom has become one of the most controversial projects engaged in by NASA during its existence. At least until 1993, Congress has taken a much more proactive role in directing the program's development than is historically normal. The factors creating pressure for such intervention appear to have included: ineffectual executive leadership, a growing federal budgetary crisis, an imprecise and constantly fluctuating space station design and consequently an unstable budget projection, the existence of professionally competent critics and a congressional staff capable of confidence in the agency's leadership. Congress is institutionally ill-equipped to manage space policy but congressional Station supporters felt there was no alternative given the harsh choices that must be made in the short term. Their initiative may have been taken from them, however, by a new infusion of executive direction-direction that could ultimately either save or kill the station.