As a literature and architecture appreciator, I love Russia. So as both a Cold War kid and a science nerd, I think everything about the space station is really cool:
Space Station at 10: Much Teamwork, Less Science (discovery.com)
“The space station has this unusual capability of changing in response to political circumstances,” said Howard McCurdy, a political science professor and NASA historian with American University in Washington, D.C.
Gone are the days when NASA touts space station research as key to developing new drugs, finding cures for cancer or developing new building materials. In its place, the agency has emphasized the value and experience of international cooperation.
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NASA expects to finish construction with eight more shuttle flights. Crew transport is expected to be turned over to Russia next year. Resupplying the outpost will be shared by Russian, European and an as-yet unflown Japanese craft. NASA also plans to hire a commercial launch services firm to deliver cargo to the station.
“We really are working pretty well, as a group of nations, to accomplish this project,” Griffin said. “It’s not perfect but we are really working pretty well together.”