DATE=10/7/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-239885
TITLE=U-S/RUSSIA/SPACE STATION (L - ONLY)
BYLINE=DAVID MCALARY
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE HEAD OF THE U-S SPACE AGENCY HAS ASKED A HOSTILE
CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE FOR MORE MONEY TO HELP THE RUSSIAN SPACE
AGENCY CONTINUE ITS ROLE IN INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
CONSTRUCTION. AS WE HEAR FROM V-O-A SCIENCE CORRESPONDENT DAVID
MCALARY, EXPERTS TESTIFY THAT MOSCOW'S SPACE PROGRAM IS SERIOUSLY
UNDERFUNDED AND U-S MONEY MAY NOT BE ENOUGH TO ENERGIZE IT.
TEXT: NASA IS ASKING FOR 600 MILLION EXTRA DOLLARS OVER THE
NEXT FOUR YEARS TO PROVIDE THE RUSSIAN SPACE AGENCY BADLY NEEDED
CASH IT CANNOT GET FROM ITS OWN FINANCIALLY STRAPPED GOVERNMENT.
NASA WOULD USE THE MONEY TO PURCHASE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES FOR
USE ON THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION SO THE RUSSIANS CAN AFFORD
TO CONTINUE BUILDING HARDWARE T/H/E/Y H/A/V/E PROMISED FOR THE
OUTPOST.
THE U-S SPACE AGENCY IS ALSO SEEKING ANOTHER 600 MILLION DOLLARS
TO TAKE STEPS TO OVERCOME U-S DEPENDENCE ON RUSSIAN SPACE STATION
HARDWARE.
THE REQUEST IS BEING RECEIVED ANGRILY BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SCIENCE COMMITTEE, WHICH MUST VOTE ON
IT AS PART OF THE APPROPRIATIONS PROCESS. AT A COMMITTEE
HEARING WEDNESDAY, R/E/P/U/B/L/I/C/A/N CONGRESSMAN JAMES
SENSENBRENNER CHASTISED THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION FOR GIVING THE
RUSSIANS A CRITICAL ROLE IN SPACE STATION DEVELOPMENT.
// SENSENBRENNER ACT //
THE ADMINISTRATION NEEDS TO TAKE THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT
OUT OF THE CRITICAL PATH NOW -- AS PROMISED TO ME BY THE
PRESIDENT OVER FOUR YEARS AGO. THE ADMINISTRATION
PROMISED WE WOULD NOT BECOME DEPENDENT UPON RUSSIA.
THE ADMINISTRATION LIED.
// END ACT //
BUT NASA ADMINISTRATOR DANIEL GOLDIN INSISTS 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. IN FORCEFUL
TESTIMONY, HE SAID THE AMOUNT IS SMALL COMPARED TO THE 40 BILLION
DOLLARS HE SAYS NASA HAS SAVED IN RECENT YEARS BY PARING BACK ON
THE STATION AND OTHER PROGRAMS TO HELP REDUCE THE GOVERNMENT
BUDGET DEFICIT.
// GOLDIN ACT //
I WOULD SAY THAT THIS PROGRAM HAS TO BE TERMINATED
UNLESS THEIR IS SOME COMMITMENT BY THIS GOVERNMENT THAT
SAYS WE HAVE TO PUT THE MONEY INTO THE SPACE STATION
THAT IT NEEDS. IF WE DON'T GET THE RESOURCES THAT WE
NEED, THEN AND ONLY THEN WOULD I SAY LET'S TERMINATE IT.
// END ACT //
MR. GOLDIN ADMITS IT MAY TAKE MORE SPENDING THAN WHAT HE IS
ASKING TO KEEP RUSSIA'S SPACE STATION PARTICIPATION ALIVE.
OTHERS POINT OUT RUSSIA WILL REMAIN AN UNCERTAIN SPACE PARTNER
AND THAT MONEY IS NOT A CURE FOR THE DIFFICULTIES FACING IT.
VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY EXPERT JUDYTH TWIGG SAYS THE
RUSSIAN SPACE PROGRAM HAS SUFFERED A HUGE DEGRADATION OVER THE
LAST DECADE OF ITS OPERATIONAL AND INDUSTRIAL CAPABILITY. THIS
IS THE RESULT, SHE SAYS, OF THE MIGRATION OF TALENT ABROAD AND
THE CORROSION OF IMPORTANT INFRASTRUCTURE.
// TWIGG ACT //
RUSSIA'S PROBLEMS ARE NOT JUST FINANCIAL PROBLEMS.
THEY ARE DEEPLY EMBEDDED INFRASTRUCTURE PROBLEMS THAT
TOOK A LONG TIME TO DEVELOP AND THEREFORE THEY WILL
TAKE A LONG TIME TO SOLVE.
// END ACT //
// OPT // ANOTHER OBSERVER OF THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE SCENE --
AEROSPACE CONSULTANT JAMES OBERG OF HOUSTON, TEXAS -- SAYS THE
RUSSIAN SPACE PROGRAM'S AGONY RESULTS FROM TOO MANY YEARS OF LEAN
BUDGETS WHICH PREDATE THE COUNTRY'S CURRENT ECONOMIC CRISIS.
// OPT OBERG ACT //
THINK OF THE RUSSIAN SPACE INDUSTRY PERHAPS AS A TOP
ATHLETE WHO SPENT 10 YEARS IN THE GULAG WHERE THEY HAVE
BEEN STARVED, BEATEN, AND INFECTED, BROWBEATEN, AND
COWED BY THEIR ENVIRONMENT. THEY HAVE SURVIVED, BUT YOU
CAN'T EXPECT THEM TO COME BACK, FEED THEM A GOOD MEAL,
AND EXPECT THEM TO COMPETE IN THE OLYMPICS.
// END ACT // // END OPT //
THE FIRST ELEMENT OF THE SPACE STATION -- A RUSSIAN MODULE -- IS
TO BE LAUNCHED NEXT MONTH FROM KAZAKHSTAN. A U-S MODULE IS TO BE
SENT ALOFT IN DECEMBER. BUT THE RUSSIAN FINANCIAL CRISIS IS
AFFECTING COMPLETION OF A THIRD UNIT THAT WILL PROVIDE LIFE
SUPPORT FOR CREWS, CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR THE STATION, AND
PROPULSION TO KEEP IT FROM FALLING OUT OF ORBIT. NASA OFFICIALS
SAY IF THEY ARE NOT CONVINCED SOON IT CAN BE LAUNCHED NEXT
YEAR, THEY MAY HAVE TO POSTPONE LAUNCH OF THE FIRST TWO PART THIS
YEAR. (SIGNED)
NEB/DEM/PT
07-Oct-98 5:48 PM EDT (2148 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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