DATE=11/30/98
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-42008
TITLE=U-S / SPACE STATION LAUNCH PREVIEW
BYLINE=DAVID MCALARY
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: ASSEMBLY OF THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION BEGINS THIS
WEEKEND WHEN A RUSSIAN MODULE ALREADY IN ORBIT IS JOINED WITH A
U-S COMPARTMENT SCHEDULED FOR LAUNCH ON THURSDAY [12/3, 3:59 A.M.
EST] ABOARD THE SPACE SHUTTLE "ENDEAVOUR." AS WE HEAR FROM V-O-A
SCIENCE CORRESPONDENT DAVID MCALARY, THE MATING OF THE TWO UNITS
WILL REQUIRE A COMPLEX SET OF SPACEWALKS.
TEXT: THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS STARTS EARLY SUNDAY [12/6]
UNIVERSAL TIME WITH THE LINKING OF THE RUSSIAN MODULE ZARYA
LAUNCHED ON NOVEMBER 20TH WITH A U-S SECTION CALLED "UNITY."
RUSSIAN COSMONAUT SERGEI KRIKALEV WILL BE ABOARD THE SPACE
SHUTTLE WHEN THIS OCCURS.
// KRIKALEV ACT //
THE MAIN PURPOSE IS TO BRING TWO PIECES TOGETHER WHICH
HAVE BEEN BUILT IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES. THOSE TWO
PIECES WILL BE A KIND OF FOUNDATION FOR THE NEW
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
// END ACT //
THE RUSSIAN ZARYA IS ESSENTIALLY AN UNPILOTED SPACE TUGBOAT THAT
WILL PROVIDE EARLY PROPULSION, STEERING, AND COMMUNICATION FOR
THE STATION'S FIRST MONTS IN ORBIT. UNITY IS A SIX-SIDED
CONNECTING PASSAGEWAY WHICH THE NASA MANAGER IN CHARGE OF IT --
BILL BASTEDO [BAS-'TEE-DO] -- SAYS WILL BE THE ATTACHMENT POINT
FOR OTHER U-S MODULES TO COME.
// BASTEDO ACT //
THE MAJOR FUNCTION OF THE UNITY MODULE IS TO PROVIDE A
WAY TO CONNECT IN ORBIT PRESSURIZED MODULES TOGETHER.
IN THE SCHEME OF THINGS, WE HAVE SEVEN OR EIGHT
DIFFERENT MODULES THAT MATE TO UNITY ALONG THE WAY. ITS
MAJOR FUNCTION -- ALTHOUGH NOT GLAMOROUS -- IS TO BE
THE CORNERSTONE OFF WHICH YOU BUILD OFF FROM.
// END ACT //
THE PROCESS OF MATING UNITY TO ZARYA BEGINS WHEN THE SHUTTLE
"ENDEAVOUR" CLOSES IN ON THE ORBITING RUSSIAN MODULE. ASTRONAUT
NANCY CURRIE WILL USE TO SHUTTLE'S ROBOT ARM LIFT THE U-S UNITY
MODULE FROM THE CARGO BAY AND LOCK IT ON TO ZARYA.
NEXT COMES THE PROCESS OF CONNECTING DATA AND POWER LINES BETWEEN
THE TWO COMPARTMENTS. THIS WORK WILL REQUIRE THREE SPACEWALKS
OVER FIVE DAYS BY VETERAN U-S ASTRONAUTS JERRY ROSS AND JAMES
NEWMAN. THE MANAGER OF THE U-S SPACE AGENCY NASA'S SPACEWALK
PROJECTS OFFICE -- ASTRONAUT GREGORY HARBAUGH ['HAR-BAW] -- SAYS
THEY ARE THE FIRST OF DOZENS OF SPACEWALKS NECESSARY BETWEEN NOW
AND 2004 TO COMPLETE THE ORBITING LABORATORY.
// HARBAUGH ACT //
THERE IS A TREMENDOUS BODY OF WORK THAT LIES BEFORE US.
WE ARE ABOUT TO UNDERTAKE THE EQUIVALENT AMOUNT OF
SPACEWALK ACTIVITY AS HAS BEEN DONE IN THE HISTORY OF
MANKIND. SO IT'S A DAUNTING TASK, BUT WE ARE WELL!
PREPARED. WE KNOW HOW TO DO THIS JOB AND WOSKING WIUH
OUR RUSSIAO COLLEAGUES, WE ARE EAGER TO GEU UNDERWAY.
! // END ACT //
IN THE END, THE COMPLETED SPACE STATION WILL CONSIST OF MORE THAN
100 ELEMENTS CARRIED TO ORBIT BY 45 FLIGHTS OF THE U-S SPACE
SHUTTLE AND TWO TYPES OF RUSSIAN ROCKETS. IT WILL HOUSE CREWS OF
UP TO SEVEN AT A TIME FOR RESEARCH ON THE EFFECTS OF
WEIGHTLESSNESS ON HUMANS, PLANTS, AND MATERIALS.
NASA SENIOR SCIENTIST KATHRYN CLARK SAYS THE STATION'S APPEAL IS
THAT IT WILL OFFER A SITE FOR CONTINUOUS SPACE RESEARCH, UNLIKE
THE SHUTTLE WHICH HAS REMAINED ALOFT ONLY DAYS AT A TIME.
// CLARK ACT //
THE ACCESS WE'VE HAD TO SPACE HAS BEEN VERY LIMITED AND
THE SPACE STATION IS INTENDED TO SOLVE THAT PROBLEM.
IMAGINE TAKING ONE OF THE FIOEST CANCER RESEARCH CENTERS
! IO THE UNITED STATES AND TELLING THE SCIENTISTS WHO WORK
IN IT THEY CAN HAVE ACCESS TO THEIR LABORATORIES ONLY
FOR ABOUT NINE DAYS EVERY TWO YEARS. THE FIELD WOULDN'T
PROGRESS VERY FAR. IT'S THE FIRST TIME WE'RE GOING TO
BE ABLE TO REALLY SEE WHAT CAN HAPPEN WITH SPACE
RESEARCH. EVERYTHING ELSE HAS BEEN JUST A TEASER.
// END ACT //
ALTHOUGH THE STATION WILL NOT BE FINISHED FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS,
THE FIRST RESEARCH WILL BEGIN ON IT BEFORE THAT. EARLY IN THE
YEAR 2000, CREWS ARE EXPECTED TO INHABIT AND WORK IN A THIRD
MODULE BEING BUILT IN RUSSIA AND TO BE LAUNCHED NEXT JULY.
(SIGNED)
NEB/DEM/WFR
30-Nov-98 4:56 PM EST (2156 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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