DATE=5/6/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-231809
TITLE=SPACE STATION / CONGRESS (L - ONLY)
BYLINE=DAVID MCALARY
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE HEAD OF THE U-S SPACE AGENCY NASA SAYS HE IS ANGRY AT
RUSSIA'S FAILURE TO MEET ITS FINANCIAL COMMITMENTS TO THE U-S LED
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION PROGRAM. BUT AS WE HEAR FROM V-O-A
SCIENCE CORRESPONDENT DAVID MCALARY, NASA ADMINISTRATOR DANIEL
GOLDIN IS TELLING THE U-S CONGRESS HE STILL WANTS TO CONTINUE
MOSCOW'S INVOLVEMENT IN THE PROJECT, DESPITE THE CONSTRUCTION
DELAYS IT HAS CAUSED.
TEXT: MR. GOLDIN WAS SPEAKING BEFORE THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES SCIENCE COMMITTEE, WHOSE MEMBERS EXPRESSED
IRRITATION WEDNESDAY ABOUT MOUNTING COST OVERRUNS AND DELAYS IN
SPACE STATION ASSEMBLY.
CONSTRUCTION IS DUE TO BEGIN THIS YEAR. BUT A REPORT ISSUED LAST
MONTH BY AN INDEPENDENT PANEL OF EXPERTS COMMISSIONED BY NASA
SAYS STATION COMPLETION IS LIKELY TO BE DELAYED ONE TO THREE
YEARS PAST THE ORIGINAL DATE OF 2003. THE PANEL ALSO SAYS THE
PROJECT WILL COST SEVEN BILLION DOLLARS MORE THAN THE ORIGINAL
ESTIMATE OF 17 BILLION DOLLARS.
THE CHAIRMAN OF THE EXPERT PANEL -- JAY CHABROW ['CHAH-BRO] --
ACCUSES NASA OF BEING TOO OPTIMISTIC IN ITS COST AND SCHEDULE
PROJECTIONS. THE MAIN PROBLEM IS RUSSIA'S INABILITY TO PAY FOR
AND DELIVER COMPONENTS IT PROMISED TO BUILD.
// CHABROW ACT //
CONTINUED RUSSIAN FUNDING SHORTFALLS HAVE NECESSITATED
NASA'S REPLANNING AND CONTINGENCY ACTIVITIES THAT HAVE
ADDED ADDITIONAL COST TO THE UNITED STATES DEVELOPMENT.
FURTHERMORE, THE CURRENT ECONOMIC SITUATION IN RUSSIA
MAKES FUTURE ADEQUATE AND TIMELY FUNDING A SIGNIFICANT
UNCERTAINTY.
// END ACT //
RUSSIA'S MONEY BURDENS HAVE DELAYED COMPLETION OF ITS MAIN
CONTRIBUTION -- A SERVICE MODULE THAT WOULD HOUSE CREW MEMBERS
AND PROVIDE PROPULSION TO PREVENT THE STATION FROM FALLING OUT OF
ORBIT. IT WAS ALREADY EIGHT MONTHS LATE, BUT CONTINUED FUNDING
SHORTFALLS ARE GOING TO POSTPONE ITS ARRIVAL IN ORBIT ANOTHER
FOUR MONTHS TO ABOUT ONE YEAR FROM NOW. AS A RESULT, THE UNITED
STATES IS PLANNING TO ADD AND MODIFY OTHER COMPONENTS TO PERFORM
THE TASKS UNTIL THE MODULE IS READY.
// OPT // ACCORDING TO RUSSIAN SPACE AGENCY DEPUTY CHIEF ALEXEI
KRASNOV, THE HEADS OF PARTICIPATING SPACE AGENCIES WILL MEET MAY
31ST IN THE UNITED STATES TO WORK OUT A NEW ASSEMBLY SCHEDULE.
// END OPT //
NASA CHIEF GOLDIN BLAMES RUSSIA'S LEADERS FOR THE SITUATION.
// GOLDIN ACT //
I AM VERY FRUSTRATED AND ANGRY AT THE LEADERSHIP IN
RUSSIA WHO DOESN'T DO WHAT THEY SAY THEY ARE GOING TO
DO. THEY ARE MOVING TO HURT THE TREMENDOUS PRIDE OF THE
RUSSIAN PEOPLE. IF THEY WANT TO WORK WITH US IN A WORLD
THAT'S DEDICATED TO PEACE, THEY'VE GOT TO DELIVER.
// END ACT //
THE NASA ADMINISTRATOR SUGGESTS THAT IF MOSCOW HAS CONTINUED
FUNDING DOLDRUMS, RUSSIA MAY NOT CONTINUE TO BE A FULL SPACE
STATION PARTNER
// OPT // THE PROBLEM HAS INCENSED SOME MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE
SCIENCE COMMITTEE. AMONG THEM IS THE RANKING DEMOCRATIC PARTY
MEMBER -- GEORGE BROWN -- WHO HAS LONG OPPOSED MAKING SPACE
STATION ASSEMBLY DEPENDENT ON RUSSIA'S PARTICIPATION PRECISELY
BECAUSE OF ITS FINANCIAL INSTABILITY.
// OPT // BROWN ACT //
I'M VERY UNHAPPY WITH THIS SITUATION, BECAUSE WE HAVE
BEEN URGING A DIFFERENT COURSE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND
BEEN REPEATEDLY TOLD THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT
THIS -- THAT WE COULD TRUST EITHER OUR ADMINISTRATION OR
THE RUSSIAN ADMINISTRATION TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING WENT
WELL.
// END ACT // // END OPT //
BUT DESPITE THE HOSTILITY TO RUSSIA'S INVOLVEMENT BY SEVERAL
HOUSE COMMITTEE MEMBERS, MR. GOLDIN CLEARLY WANTS TO MAINTAIN IT
IN SOME FORM PARTLY BECAUSE OF RUSSIA'S TECHNICAL EXPERTISE AND
PARTLY BECAUSE OF THE U-S DESIRE TO ENGAGE ITS FORMER COLD WAR
ADVERSARY IN A POSITIVE WAY.
// OPT // GOLDIN ACT //
IF WE CUT OFF THE RUSSIANS, WE'LL SEND A SIGNAL TO THE
PEOPLE IN RUSSIA WHO AREN'T LOOKING FOR DEMOCRACY, WHO
DON'T WANT TO HAVE COOPERATION IN SPACE. IT'S A VERY
TOUGH SITUATION BUT MY INNER SELF SAYS WE'VE GOT TO FIND
A WAY AND NOT LET GO OF THIS WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY
THAT THE PEOPLE OF THIS WORLD ARE LOOKING AT.
// END ACT //
// OPT // HE CHAIRMAN OF THE INDEPENDENT NASA SPACE STATION AUDIT
-- JAY CHABROW -- BACKS MR. GOLDIN. HE SAYS PROCEEDING WITHOUT
RUSSIA NOW HAS DRAWBACKS. HIS PANEL BELIEVES THE UNITED STATES
SHOULD SUPPLY THE MONEY RUSSIA CANNOT TO KEEP THE PROJECT GOING.
// END OPT //(SIGNED)
NEB/DEM/MMK
06-May-98 3:59 PM EDT (1959 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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