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08 October 1998

TEXT: NASA ON LAUNCHES OF INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION MODULES

(Zarya and Unity modules to launch on schedule) (400)
Washington -- Launches of the Zarya and Unity modules -- components of
the first International Space Station -- will remain on schedule
following a series of technical meetings in Moscow, the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced October 2.
Zarya will launch November 20 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in
Kazakhstan, while Unity will launch December 3 on the Space Shuttle
Endeavour from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, NASA said.
The international partner representatives also confirmed the launch
delay of the Russian-provided Service Module to July 1999. In
addition, NASA and the Russian Space Agency reached an agreement under
which NASA could pay the RSA $60 million in exchange for services and
hardware.
Following is the text of the NASA press release:
(Begin text)
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION (NASA)
October 2, 1998 
STATEMENT FOLLOWING CONCLUSION OF MOSCOW MEETINGS 
The launches of the first International Space Station components --
the Zarya module and the Unity module -- remain on schedule following
a series of technical meetings in Moscow that concluded today with a
meeting of representatives from all international partners.
In today's meeting, all station partners reviewed and concurred with a
plan to maintain the current launch schedule for Zarya, which will
launch on a Russian Proton booster Nov. 20 from the Baikonur
Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, and for Unity, which will launch on the Space
Shuttle Endeavour Dec. 3 from the Kennedy Space Center, FL.
The international partner representatives, members of the
International Space Station Control Board, also reviewed plans for
launch of the Russian-provided Service Module, the station's early
living quarters, and confirmed its launch delay to July 1999. The
international partners will reconvene in December at Kennedy, in
conjunction with the launch of Unity, to further refine the station's
assembly sequence.
NASA and the Russian Space Agency (RSA) also reached an agreement
under which NASA could purchase services and hardware from RSA for $60
million (U.S.). The agreement could be implemented through an existing
contract between NASA and RSA upon concurrence from Congress. Payment
of the $60 million will be tied to confirmation of RSA's completion of
milestones necessary to ensure the completion of critical early
assembly activities related to the final integration and launch of the
Service Module and initial Soyuz and Progress spacecraft.
(End text)