ABSTRACT
Countries also interact in the military domain. The United Nations, NATO, and other international alliances coordinate military exercises. Misunderstandings in these interactions can lead to serious cost, damage, and loss of life. Nonmilitary interactions, such as joint space exploration, also can lead to misunderstandings that jeopardize the success of international efforts. With the retirement of the US Space Shuttle program in 2011, US astronauts will be catching rides to space on launch vehicles designed by and for astronauts from countries that differ from the United States in a variety of dimensions.
