DATE=1/22/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-244544
TITLE=NASA / MIR REACT (L)
BYLINE=DAVID MCALARY
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE U-S SPACE AGENCY, NASA, SAYS RUSSIA'S DECISION TO
KEEP THE MIR SPACE STATION IN ORBIT MUST NOT COME AT THE
EXPENSE OF MOSCOW'S COMMITMENT TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION. V-O-A SCIENCE CORRESPONDENT DAVID MCALARY REPORTS THAT
THE RUSSIAN SPACE AGENCY PLANS TO KEEP MIR IN SPACE THREE MORE
YEARS..
TEXT: NASA SAYS RUSSIA HAS PROMISED THE UNITED STATES THAT THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION REMAINS A PRIORITY, EVEN THOUGH PRIME
MINISTER YEVGENY PRIMAKOV HAS SIGNED A DECREE TO KEEP THE AGING
MIR ALOFT.
THE DECREE -- ANNOUNCED BY THE GOVERNMENT PRESS SERVICE --
REQUIRES FUNDING TO COME FROM A PRIVATE SOURCE -- NOT FROM
SCARCE GOVERNMENT FUNDS. BUT RUSSIA HAS NOT REVEALED WHAT THAT
PRIVATE ENTITY IS.
NASA HAD HOPED THE RUSSIAN SPACE AGENCY WOULD REMOVE THE OUTPOST
FROM ORBIT LATER THIS YEAR SO IT COULD FOCUS ON ITS REPLACEMENT.
BUT IT SAW THIS DECISION COMING, BECAUSE IN RECENT MONTHS, MOSCOW
HAS SIGNALED ITS DESIRE TO EXTEND THE 13-YEAR-LONG MISSION.
NASA SPOKESMAN BROWN SAYS NO MATTER WHAT RUSSIA DOES, IT MUST
NOT TURN ITS BACK ON ITS CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS TO THE UNITED
STATES.
// BROWN ACT //
WE STAND VERY FIRM IN RELAYING TO THE RUSSIANS THAT
THEY MUST -- I REPEAT, THEY MUST -- MEET THEIR
COMMITMENTS WITH THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
THEY ARE CERTAINLY FREE TO DO WHATEVER THEY CAN DO
WITH THE MIR STATION AS LONG AS IT DOES NOT INTERFERE
WITH THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. RIGHT NOW WE
DON'T SEE, ACCORDING TO THE RUSSIANS, THAT THAT WOULD
BE A PROBLEM WITH THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
PROGRAM.
// END ACT //
NEWS REPORTS SAY THE MIR COSTS RUSSIA 250-MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR,
ABOUT 20-MILLION A YEAR LESS THAN RUSSIA'S COMMITMENT TO THE
INTERNATIONAL STATION.
LONG PAST ITS INTENDED LIFETIME, THE RUSSIAN RESEARCH LABORATORY
APPEARED TO BE FALLING APART ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO WHEN A FIRE AND
FAILURE OF ITS LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEMS THREATENED THE LIVES OF THE
COSMONAUTS AND U-S ASTRONAUT ON BOARD. BUT THE SYSTEMS WERE
REPAIRED AND NASA JUSTIFIED THE CONTINUED PRESENCE OF ONE OF ITS
CREW MEMBERS BY SAYING THE STATION'S RESTORATION HAD MADE IT
SAFE.
DWAYNE BROWN OF NASA SUGGESTS THAT THE ECONOMICALLY DISTRESSED
RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT WANTS TO KEEP MIR ALIVE AS AN INCOME SOURCE.
// BROWN ACT //
THEY FEEL IT STILL HAS SOME RESEARCH CAPABILITY, AND IT
PROBABLY DOES. IT IS STILL A ROBUST VEHICLE, EVEN
THOUGH IT HAS OUTLIVED ITS LIFE EXPECTANCY. BUT THE
RUSSIANS ALSO SEE IT AS A COMMERCIAL VENTURE AND SOURCE
OF REVENUE. WE ALL KNOW THEY ARE SEEKING THINGS LIKE
THAT AND THEY DO HAVE A SPACE STATION UP THERE AND I
JUST THINK MANY OF THEM FEEL NOT ONLY CAN IT SERVE ITS
PURPOSE TO DO RESEARCH BUT THEY CAN ALSO GET SOME CASH
FLOW IN.
// END ACT //
RUSSIAN OFFICIALS CONTINUE WITH PLANS TO SEND THE NEXT CREW TO
MIR. A RUSSIAN, FRENCHMAN AND A SLOVAK ARE SCHEDULED TO BE
LAUNCHED FROM BAIKONOUR COSMODROME IN ONE MONTH. (SIGNED)
NEB/DEM/RRM
22-Jan-99 7:30 PM EST (0030 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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