Slide 59 of 99
Notes:
The “compromise option” eventually chosen by Clinton was Option A. Like Option B, this configuration was based on the abandoned Space Station Freedom design from 1991, so it was more acceptable to the international partners than Option C. Option A would start with a "power station" to which an extended duration Shuttle could dock for initial research lasting 20 days at most. Lockheed's “Bus-1” (a previously classified US Air Force spacecraft) would provide propulsion and attitude control. The US laboratory and node would also be integrated into a single module.
Later, additional laboratories and a habitation module could be added to create the complete Option A Space Station shown here. A major drawback was the limited capability for scientific research, particularly for sensitive microgravity experiments since the Station periodically (every 2-3 months) would have to reorient itself 90 degrees to keep solar panels pointing toward the Sun. This would interrupt materials science regularly. Consequently, the Clinton Administration promised to use the same “alpha” solar panel joints as Option B. The total estimated cost in 1994-98 was $13.3 billion, considerably higher than the $9-billion Space Station requested by the President in March 1993. NASA was asked to report back in September 1993 since the current Option A design was not detailed enough for an accurate assessment of its user capabilities to be made.