The Future Looks Grim for Big Soda. Sales of soda are tanking, and beverage companies are hoping bottled water -- and hundreds of other products -- will fill the gap.
The objectives of the program, which made six manned flights from 1961 to 1963, were specific: To orbit a manned spacecraft around Earth; To investigate man's ability to function in space; To recover both man and spacecraft safely.
An international space station was one way to keep those scientists busy (though that wasn't the only rationale). In 2001, NASA outlined three official goals for the station: Conducting research, establishing a continuous human presence in space, and fostering international cooperation.