DATE=9/21/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-239038
TITLE=U-S / RUSSIA / SPACE STATION (L)
BYLINE=DAVID MCALARY
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE U-S SPACE AGENCY NASA SAYS IT NEEDS TO INJECT MORE
MONEY INTO THE FINANCIALLY AILING RUSSIAN SPACE AGENCY TO HELP
THE RUSSIAN FINISH A CRUCIAL PART OF THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION. AS WE HEAR FROM V-O-A SCIENCE CORRESPONDENT DAVID
MCALARY, NASA IS HOPING CONGRESS WILL ADD THE MONEY IT NEEDS TO
ITS BUDGET BEGINNING NEXT YEAR.
TEXT: NASA SAYS IT IS TRYING TO CONVINCE THE CLINTON
ADMINISTRATION AND CONGRESS FOR APPROVAL TO SPEND 660 MILLION
DOLLARS TO BUY ADDITIONAL GOODS AND SERVICES FROM THE RUSSIAN
SPACE AGENCY OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.
THE MONEY WOULD PROVIDE BADLY NEEDED CASH FOR THE RUSSIANS SO
THEY CAN AFFORD TO CONTINUE PARTICIPATING IN THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION PROJECT.
THE CHIEF OF NASA'S OFFICE OF SPACE FLIGHT -- JOSEPH ROTHENBERG
-- SAYS THE 660 MILLION DOLLARS WOULD BUY ADDITIONAL RUSSIAN
SPACECRAFT THAT WOULD BE USED TO SHIP CARGO AND PEOPLE TO THE
OUTPOST AFTER COMPLETION.
// ROTHENBERG ACT //
WE HAVE DONE A ROUGH ESTIMATE AND SAID WE THINK THAT'S
ABOUT HALF OF THE TOTAL RUSSIAN NEEDS. WE ALSO THINK
THAT HALF WOULD BUY THE GOODS AND SERVICES WE NEEDED
THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO CONTINUE ASSEMBLY OF THE SPACE
STATION APPROXIMATELY ON THE SCHEDULE WE CAN LIVE WITH.
IT'S CLOSE TO THE SCHEDULE WE HAVE NOW.
// END ACT //
THE FIRST TWO STATION MODULES ARE RUSSIAN AND U-S BUILT
RESPECTIVELY AND ARE TO BE LAUNCHED IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER.
THE FIRST 100 MILLION DOLLARS OF THE EXTRA U-S ASSISTANCE WOULD
ALLOW RUSSIA TO COMPLETE A THIRD MODULE CALLED THE SERVICE MODULE
THAT WILL PROVIDE LIFE SUPPORT FOR CREWS, CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR THE
STATION, AND PROPULSION TO KEEP IT FROM FALLING OUT OF ORBIT.
THE SERVICE MODULE IS 98 PER CENT FINISHED AND IS TO BE LAUNCHED
LAUNCHED NEXT JULY IF THE MONEY COMES THROUGH. IT MUST GO UP
WITHIN A FEW MONTHS OF THE JULY DATE IN ORDER TO KEEP THE FIRST
TWO COMPONENTS ALOFT.
TO MEET THAT SCHEDULE, MR. ROTHENBERG SAYS NASA MAY HAVE TO TAKE
THE MONEY FROM CURRENT U-S SPACE PROGRAMS IF THE WHITE HOUSE AND
CONGRESS FAIL TO AUTHORIZE MORE MONEY.
// ROTHENBERG ACT //
WE'RE MAKING IT CLEAR THAT WE DON'T HAVE THIS MONEY.
NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE ADMINISTRATION AND ULTIMATELY
CONGRESS ARE IN FRONT OF US. THERE'S NO REAL COMMITMENT
TO GIVE US THIS MONEY. THE RUSSIANS DO KNOW THAT. THEY
GO THROUGH THE SAME PROBLEM.
// END ACT //
THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION SOUGHT RUSSIAN PARTICIPATION AFTER THE
END OF THE COLD WAR, IN PART TO KEEP UNEMPLOYED RUSSIAN
SCIENTISTS FROM BEING HIRED TO WORK ON WEAPONS PROGRAMS OF
NATIONS HOSTILE TO THE UNITED STATES. IT ALSO JUSTIFIED THE
DECISION BASED ON RUSSIA'S LONG EXPERIENCE IN OPERATING SPACE
STATIONS.
NEWS REPORTS SAY KEY CLINTON ADMINISTRATION AND U-S CONGRESSIONAL
OFFICIALS BELIEVE IT WOULD BE CHEAPER TO SPEND THE EXTRA MONEY TO
SUPPORT RUSSIA'S ROLE IN THE PLANNED ORBITING LABORATORY THAN TO
HAVE TO TAKE IT OVER.
// REST OPT //
NASA IS STILL NEGOTIATING THE COST OF THE GOODS AND SERVICES IT
PLANS TO BUY FROM THE RUSSIAN SPACE AGENCY. MR. ROTHENBERG SAYS
THE TWO SIDES HAVE NOT AGREED ON THE PRICE FOR THE ROCKETS IT
WOULD BUY. A REPORT IN "THE WASHINGTON POST" NEWSPAPER SAYS
MOSCOW IS HOLDING OUT FOR MORE MONEY THAN THE UNITED STATES IS
WILLING TO PAY FOR CERTAIN EQUIPMENT. MR. ROTHENBERG CONFIRMED
THAT THE TALKS ARE TOUGH.
// ROTHENBERG ACT //
WHENEVER YOU'RE IN A NEGOTIATION WITH THE OTHER GUY AND
HE KNOWS HOW DEEP YOUR POCKETS ARE OR HE THINKS HOW DEEP
YOUR POCKETS ARE, HE SUDDENLY HAS A DIFFERENT VIEWPOINT
AND MAY BE WILLING TO HANG TOUGH [BARGAIN HARDER] A
LITTLE LONGER ON HIS NUMBERS.
// END ACT //
MR. ROTHENBERG ADDS THAT IF NASA IS NOT CONVINCED THE RUSSIAN
SERVICE MODULE CAN BE PAID FOR AND FINISHED ON TIME, THE
SCHEDULED LAUNCH OF THE RUSSIAN AND U-S MODULES FOR NOVEMBER AND
DECEMBER WILL BE DELAYED AGAIN. (SIGNED)
NEB/DEM/PT
21-Sep-98 8:12 PM EDT (0012 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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