President Ahmadinejad made his space-travel offer during an address to scientists on Iran's national day of space technology in Tehran, state media report.

BBC: Iran's President Ahmadinejad offers to go into space

As more countries around the world build up their space capabilities, U.S. lawmakers are keen to address the growing issue of potentially harmful debris in orbit.

MSN: Space Junk Hazards Force International Response

And in just a few days, during the State of the Union address, President Ronald Reagan was planning to mention Challenger's launch as a space program achievement.

NPR: Challenger: Reporting a Disaster's Cold, Hard Facts

If not, there will be a diminishing demand for space at 30 Gresham Street, Dresdner Kleinwort's smart new address.

ECONOMIST: Dresdner Bank and Allianz

To address these issues, NASA needs the full funding for the President's FY 1999 request for the Space Station and Space Shuttle programs.

WHITEHOUSE: Jacob J. Lew Testimony to House Science Committee, 08/06/1998 | The White House