DATE=4/12/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=RUSSIA / SPACE (L ONLY)
NUMBER=2-261231
BYLINE=PETER HEINLEIN
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: President-elect Vladimir Putin has cast doubt
on Russia's commitment to the international space
station, suggesting that the country's priority space
project should be the MIR orbiter. As V-O-A's Peter
Heinlein reports from Moscow, MIR is coming back to
life after eight months without a crew.
TEXT:
/// ASTRONAUTS ACTS - FADE UNDER ///
Russian television broadcast a mini-celebration in
space Wednesday, marking the 39th anniversary of
Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin's historic orbit that
started the era of manned spaceflight. T-V newscasts
showed pictures of two cosmonauts aboard the MIR space
station, floating in front of a large Russian tri-
color flag.
One could be heard saying, "The celebration has
begun".
/// OPT /// The 14-year old orbiter was shut down
last year as Russia shifted its meager space resources
to the new international space station. MIR was to
have been taken out of orbit and sent crashing into
the ocean. But it is being revived, largely with
money from a group of foreign investors who have
talked of converting it into a tourist destination.
/// END OPT ///
Russia's space budget is only a fraction of what it
was during the glory days. A space agency official is
quoted as saying the government's contribution this
year will be 120-million dollars. The official, who
asked not to be named, said 120-million is just
enough to cover Russia's commitment to the
international space station.
Even so, cash shortages and a host of other problems
are forcing costly delays in Russia's portion of the
international project. Russia's partners in the 60-
billion-dollar station are growing impatient.
A Russian-built service module originally slated for
launch two years ago is still under construction.
Launch is tentatively scheduled for July, but the U-S
space agency NASA has begun an urgent program to build
a backup unit in case the Russian module is not ready.
In comments certain to compound those concerns,
President-elect Vladimir Putin suggested Wednesday
that MIR -- and not the international station --
would remain Russia's number one space priority.
/// PUTIN ACT - IN RUSSIAN - FADE UNDER ///
He says, "We spoke of continuing our cooperation with
the international space station, and we will fulfill
our obligations." But, he added, "we must never
forget that our first priority is the domestic
industry."
At a Kremlin ceremony marking the anniversary of Yuri
Gagarin's historic flight, Mr. Putin said keeping
Russia's space program going is a matter of national
pride. He said space exploration allows the country
to continue calling itself a great power.
The state-run RIA Novosti news agency quoted the
Russian leader as saying money for the MIR space
station would be included in next year's federal
budget. (Signed)
NEB/PFH/JWH/KL
12-Apr-2000 13:09 PM EDT (12-Apr-2000 1709 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
