DATE=2/11/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-245410
TITLE=RUSSIA / SPACE (L-O)
BYLINE=LAURIE KASSMAN
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE HEAD OF RUSSIA'S SPACE AGENCY PREDICTS THE "MIR" SPACE
STATION WON'T LAST FOR MORE THAN ANOTHER SIX MONTHS BECAUSE IT
LACKS THE MONEY TO KEEP IT GOING. CORRESPONDENT LAURIE KASSMAN
HAS THE STORY IN MOSCOW.
TEXT: THE CORPORATION THAT OWNS THE MIR SPACE STATION HAD HOPED
TO WIN ENOUGH FOREIGN BACKING TO KEEP IT IN ORBIT ANOTHER THREE
YEARS. NOW THE DIRECTOR OF RUSSIA'S SPACE AGENCY SAYS THOSE
HOPES HAVE BEEN PRETTY MUCH DASHED.
YURI KOPTEV SAYS NEGOTIATIONS WITH PRIVATE INVESTORS HAVE
SNAGGED. IF NEW FUNDING IS NOT FOUND BY APRIL, HE SAYS MIR WILL
HAVE TO BE ABANDONED BY AUGUST OR SEPTEMBER.
LAST MONTH, PRIME MINISTER YEVGENY PRIMAKOV AGREED TO LET
"ENERGIA" COMPANY KEEP THE 13-YEAR-OLD SPACE STATION FUNCTIONING
ANOTHER THREE YEARS, IF IT COULD FIND PRIVATE FUNDS TO PAY FOR
IT. ENERGIA ESTIMATED IT WOULD COST 250-MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR.
LIKE OTHER RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, MR. KOPTEV'S SPACE
AGENCY IS FEELING THE PINCH OF THE ECONOMIC CRISIS. HE TOLD
REPORTERS THE BUDGET FOR RUSSIA'S SPACE PROGRAM THIS YEAR AMOUNTS
TO 131-MILLION DOLLARS. AND THAT, HE SAYS, IS LESS THAN THE
MINIMUM HE NEEDS TO FINANCE CURRENT SPACE PROJECTS.
MR. KOPTEV SAYS THE BUDGET CUTS HAVE ALSO AFFECTED RUSSIA'S
PARTICIPATION IN A 16-NATION SPACE STATION. THE PROJECT ALREADY
HAS BEEN DELAYED BECAUSE RUSSIA FELL BEHIND SCHEDULE ON
CONSTRUCTION OF THE SERVICE MODULE THAT WILL HOUSE THE STATION'S
FIRST CREW. MR. KOPTEV NOW HOPES THE MODULE WILL BE LAUNCHED
SOMETIME BETWEEN JULY AND SEPTEMBER.
//OPT THE REST//
LAST WEEK, AN AMBITIOUS RUSSIAN EXPERIMENT TO REFLECT SUNLIGHT
BACK TO EARTH WAS SCRAPPED AFTER THE UMBRELLA-SHAPED MIRROR
FAILED TO OPEN. OFFICIALS SAID THERE WERE NO FUNDS TO TRY THE
EXPERIMENT AGAIN ANY TIME SOON. (SIGNED)
NEB/LMK/PCF/JO
11-Feb-99 10:59 AM EST (1559 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
