DATE=6/1/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-233150
TITLE=SPACE STATION SCHEDULE (S) CQ
BYLINE=DAVID MCALARY
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE 16 COUNTRIES PARTICIPATING IN THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION HAVE AGREED TO DELAY CONSTRUCTION UNTIL NOVEMBER BECAUSE
OF RUSSIAN FINANCIAL PROBLEMS. AS WE HEAR FROM SCIENCE
CORRESPONDENT DAVID MCALARY, THE DECISION MOVES ASSEMBLY BACK
ANOTHER FIVE MONTHS.
TEXT: THE ORIGINAL START OF SPACE STATION CONSTRUCTION WAS LAST
NOVEMBER. BUT BECAUSE RUSSIA COULD NOT AFFORD TO FINISH A MAJOR
COMPONENT ON TIME, THE BUILDING SEQUENCE WAS FIRST SET BACK UNTIL
THIS MONTH.
NOW, THERE IS ANOTHER DELAY. REPRESENTATIVES OF THE U-S, RUSSIA,
CANADA, JAPAN, AND 12 EUROPEAN COUNTRIES MET AT KENNEDY SPACE
CENTER IN FLORIDA SATURDAY AND SUNDAY AND AGREED TO POSTPONE
STATION ASSEMBLY AGAIN UNTIL NOVEMBER.
THE DELAYED RUSSIAN COMPONENT IS A SERVICE MODULE WHICH IS
NECESSARY FOR CREW MEMBERS TO INHABIT THE STATION. IT IS NOT
EXPECTED TO BE READY FOR LAUNCH UNTIL NEXT APRIL.
SO THE FIRST COMPONENT -- A RUSSIAN POWER AND PROPULSION MODULE
-- WILL NOW GO UP ON NOVEMBER 20TH, FOLLOWED TWO WEEKS LATER BY A
U-S CONNECTING PASSAGEWAY.
IF RUSSIA MEETS IT APRIL DEADLINE FOR THE SERVICE MODULE LAUNCH,
THE FIRST CREW WILL INHABIT THE STATION IN JULY, 1999. (SIGNED)
NEB/DEM/RAE
01-Jun-98 12:19 PM EDT (1619 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
