Foreword

Gravity is a force of attraction between all matter in the universe, affecting virtually every physical, chemical, and biological process that surrounds us. Only recently has humankind been able to manipulate gravity in scientific experiments, uncovering nuances of our world never before imagined. Missions conducted on Skylab, the Space Shuttles, Mir, and robotic platforms have provided important but limited opportunities to understand nature in the absence of gravity's effects. Access to a permanently crewed space laboratory is a critical opportunity to focus research on the behavior of matter without the masking influence of Earth's pull.

Soon we will begin laying the foundation for a multinational, permanent human presence in space In doing so, we will truly open the space frontier, replete with its tremendous challenge for the human spirit and its promise of intellectual and material riches. The ISS will be a world community living and working together in space, it will serve as a springboard for our next great leap in space exploration and development, improving life on Earth and expanding humanity's horizons for the 21st century, as we send our astronauts to explore Earth’s neighborhood.

Daniel S Goldin
NASA Administrator

(This presented foreword is taken from the foreword that Daniel S Goldin wrote as part of the ISS Research Plan Overview, a NASA Implementation Plan for the ISS Program, which describes how NASA will utilize the ISS platform in the future.)