Editing Human spaceflight (section)

=== US / Russian cooperation ===
[[File:International Space Station after undocking of STS-132.jpg|thumb|right|International Space Station, assembled in orbit by US and Russia]]

The dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 brought an end to the Cold War and opened the door to true cooperation between the US and Russia. The Soviet Soyuz and Mir programs were taken over by the Russian Federal Space Agency, which became known as the [[Roscosmos State Corporation]]. The [[Shuttle-Mir Program]] included American Space Shuttles visiting the ''Mir'' space station, Russian cosmonauts flying on the Shuttle, and an American astronaut flying aboard a Soyuz spacecraft for long-duration expeditions aboard ''Mir''.

In 1993, President [[Bill Clinton]] secured Russia's cooperation in converting the planned Space Station ''Freedom'' into the [[International Space Station]] (ISS). Construction of the station began in 1998. The station orbits at an altitude of {{convert|409|km|nmi|sp=us}} and an orbital inclination of 51.65°. Several of the Space Shuttle's 135 orbital flights were to help assemble, supply, and crew the ISS. Russia has built half of the International Space Station and has continued its cooperation with the US.