 When man first began to reach for the stars, dreams about space travel usually included living in space in what is now called a space station. Those dreams became reality when after the successful completion of the Apollo program, the next step chosen for manned space flight was an earth-orbiting workshop known as Skylab. During the Skylab program, three different crews lived and worked in America's first space station for a total of 171 days. The knowledge and experience gained from Skylab provided a foundation for the design and development of future space stations. Skylab taught us that any long-duration space station will be highly dependent upon a space transportation system. The reusable space shuttle will continue to be a key component by providing frequent access to low earth orbit. Expendable launch vehicles may be used to carry both supplies and payloads to the space station. In the 1980s, the shuttle expanded our capabilities to live and work effectively in the space environment. The next step in space exploration and utilization, space station freedom, is currently being developed by the United States with cooperation from Canada, Europe, and Japan. As a research laboratory, freedom will increase scientific knowledge, stimulate the development of new technologies, and help realize the commercial potential of space. Many advances are being made in various technologies as we prepare for life aboard space station freedom. New spacesuit designs, robots, and a health maintenance facility are just a few of the developments underway. Eventually, space station users will want to increase their capabilities. As a result, freedom has been designed for expansion. Enhancements may include another structure, a spacecraft servicing facility, and more power. In addition to providing a research facility for the advancement of science and technology, freedom will serve as a base for future exploration. In building a lunar base or traveling to other planets, freedom will provide the departure point necessary to accomplish those missions. Space station freedom, an important prerequisite for future long term space travel, as our dreams of space exploration continue to become reality.