DATE=12/18/98
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-42184
TITLE=YEARENDER: U.S. / RUSSIA SPACE '98
BYLINE=DAVID MCALARY
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE JOINT SPACE PROJECT THE UNITED STATES, RUSSIA, AND
14 OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE BEEN WORKING TOWARD FOR YEARS FINALLY GOT
UNDERWAY THIS YEAR. THE FIRST TWO COMPONENTS OF THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION WERE CONNECTED IN ORBIT IN DECEMBER
AFTER A YEAR'S DELAY BECAUSE OF RUSSIAN FUNDING PROBLEMS. AS WE
HEAR FROM V-O-A SCIENCE CORRESPONDENT DAVID MCALARY, THE PROJECT
IS TAKING A LITTLE MORE U-S ASSISTANCE THAN WASHINGTON HAD
PLANNED.
TEXT: IT WAS EASY TO FORGET WHEN WATCHING THE RECENT ORBITAL
CONSTRUCTION MANEUVERS HOW TENTATIVE THE STATION PROJECT HAS
SEEMED OVER THE YEARS.
THE U-S CONGRESS NARROWLY AVOIDED KILLING IT IN YEARS PAST
BECAUSE OF ITS GROWING COST, LEADING TO REDESIGNS TO REDUCE ITS
SCOPE. MANY LAWMAKERS HAVE ALSO OBJECTED TO DEPENDING ON THE
FINANCIALLY WOBBLY RUSSIAN SPACE AGENCY FOR CRITICAL STATION
COMPONENTS -- AND EVENTS OF 1998 NEARLY PROVED THEM CORRECT.
BECAUSE OF MOSCOW'S MONEY WOES, THE ESSENTIAL STATION CONTROL
MODULE REMAINED INCOMPLETE. THE INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS WERE
FORCED TO AGREE IN JUNE TO DELAY ASSEMBLY ONCE AGAIN TO NOVEMBER
1998 -- 12 MONTHS LATER THAN THE INITIAL SCHEDULE. THE TOP
RANKING OPPOSITION DEMOCRAT ON THE U-S HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SCIENCE COMMITTEE -- GEORGE BROWN -- WAS UPSET.
// BROWN ACT //
I'M VERY UNHAPPY WITH THIS SITUATION, BECAUSE WE HAVE
BEEN URGING A DIFFERENT COURSE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND
BEEN REPEATEDLY TOLD THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT
THIS -- THAT WE COULD TRUST EITHER OUR ADMINISTRATION OR
THE RUSSIAN ADMINISTRATION TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING WENT
WELL.
// END ACT //
TO KEEP MOSCOW INVOLVED, THE U-S SPACE AGENCY NASA INFUSED MORE
CASH INTO ITS IMPOVERISHED RUSSIAN COUNTERPART -- A PLANNED 660
MILLION DOLLARS OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS TO BUY SPACE STATION
GOOD AND SERVICES FROM MOSCOW.
NASA ADMINISTRATOR DANIEL GOLDIN WENT BEFORE THE SCIENCE
COMMITTEE TO BLAME RUSSIAN LEADERSHIP FOR THE TROUBLES. IN THE
END, HOWEVER, HE REFUSED TO GIVE UP ON A FORMER COLD WAR
ADVERSARY WHOSE SPACE STATION EXPERTISE WASHINGTON SEEKS AND
WHOSE ROCKET SCIENTISTS IT WANTS TO KEEP EMPLOYED FOR PEACEFUL
MEANS.
// GOLDIN ACT //
IF WE CUT OFF THE RUSSIANS, WE'LL SEND A SIGNAL TO THE
PEOPLE IN RUSSIA WHO AREN'T LOOKING FOR DEMOCRACY, WHO
DON'T WANT TO HAVE COOPERATION IN SPACE. IT'S A VERY
TOUGH SITUATION BUT MY INNER SELF SAYS WE'VE GOT TO WORK
TOGETHER FIND A WAY AND NOT LET GO OF THIS WINDOW OF
OPPORTUNITY THAT THE PEOPLE OF THIS WORLD ARE LOOKING
AT.
// END ACT //
ALL THE WHILE, U-S AND RUSSIAN TRAINING FOR SPACE STATION
BUILDING CONTINUED, WITH TWO FINAL SPACE SHUTTLE DOCKINGS AND ONE
MORE ASTRONAUT TRANSFER TO THE MIR SPACE STATION. OTHER SHUTTLE
FLIGHTS WERE BUSY WITH TESTS OF EQUIPMENT TO BE USED IN STATION
ASSEMBLY AND RESEARCH OF THE TYPE TO BE CONDUCTED WHEN THE
STATION TURNS INTO A LABORATORY.
EVEN U-S SPACE HERO JOHN GLENN JOINED THE RESEARCH IN LATE
OCTOBER DURING A SHUTTLE MISSION WHICH RETURNED HIM TO ORBIT 36
YEARS AFTER BECOMING THE FIRST AMERICAN TO CIRCLE EARTH. CRITICS
ARGUED THAT THE ASSIGNMENT WAS A NASA PUBLIC RELATIONS GIMMICK
AND A POLITICAL PAYOFF TO REWARD SENATOR GLENN FOR HIS SUPPORT OF
PRESIDENT CLINTON. THE 77-YEAR-OLD GLENN REFUTED THOSE CLAIMS,
SAYING ORBITAL INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE AGING PROCESS HAD LONG
BEEN HIS GOAL.
/// OPT /// ONCE IN SPACE, THE WORLD'S OLDEST ASTRONAUT ENJOYED
HIMSELF.
// GLENN OPT ACT //
WELL, I HOPE I NEVER GROW UP TO WHERE SOMETHING NEW LIKE
THIS DOES NOT LEAVE ME LIKE A LITTLE KID ON NEW
EXPERIENCES BECAUSE TOO MANY OLD FOLKS -- YOU KNOW OLD
FOLKS CAN HAVE DREAMS, TOO, AS WELL AS YOUNG FOLKS, AND
WORK TOWARD THEM.
// END ACT // // END OPT ACT //
THE GLENN SHUTTLE FLIGHT WAS A PUBLIC RELATIONS TRIUMPH FOR NASA,
FOLLOWED A LITTLE MORE THAN A MONTH LATER BY THE LONG-ANTICIPATED
SPACE STATION CONSTRUCTION. IN A WEEK, ASTRONAUTS LED BY
COMMANDER BOB CABANA CONNECTED AND WIRED THE FIRST TWO U-S AND
RUSSIAN MODULES IN THE CARGO HOLD OF THE SHUTTLE "ENDEAVOUR,"
TAKING THREE SPACEWALKS TO DO SO.
// CABANA ACT //
WE WERE KIND OF OVERCOME WITH WHAT HAD BEEN
ACCOMPLISHED. IT WAS TRULY AMAZING. IT WAS REALLY
GREAT FOR ALL OF US TO SEE IT ALL COME TOGETHER AND ALL
OF IT WORK. WE KEPT PINCHING OURSELVES AND SAYING, "IT
CAN'T BE REAL, IT'S GOING SO WELL AND EVERYTHING IS SO
RIGHT AND IT JUST LOOKS SO GOOD."
// END ACT //
THE NEXT STATION COMPONENT -- THE CONTROVERSIAL RUSSIAN CONTROL
MODULE -- IS TO BE ADDED IN JULY. NASA OFFICIALS SAY IT IS
NEARLY COMPLETE, BUT ARE TAKING NO CHANCES THAT ASSEMBLY WILL BE
DELAYED SIGNIFICANTLY IF IT IS NOT READY. THE UNITED STATES IS
MODIFYING OTHER COMPONENTS TO PERFORM POWER AND PROPULSION THE
TASKS UNTIL THE MODULE IS READY. (SIGNED)
NEB/DEM/GE
18-Dec-98 1:55 PM EST (1855 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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