DATE=10/7/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-239885
TITLE=U-S/RUSSIA/SPACE STATION (L - ONLY)
BYLINE=DAVID MCALARY
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 


INTRO:   THE HEAD OF THE U-S SPACE AGENCY HAS ASKED A HOSTILE 
CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE FOR MORE MONEY TO HELP THE RUSSIAN SPACE 
AGENCY CONTINUE ITS ROLE IN INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION 
CONSTRUCTION.  AS WE HEAR FROM V-O-A SCIENCE CORRESPONDENT DAVID 
MCALARY, EXPERTS TESTIFY THAT MOSCOW'S SPACE PROGRAM IS SERIOUSLY
UNDERFUNDED AND U-S MONEY MAY NOT BE ENOUGH TO ENERGIZE IT.

TEXT:     NASA IS ASKING FOR 600 MILLION EXTRA DOLLARS OVER THE 
NEXT FOUR YEARS TO PROVIDE THE RUSSIAN SPACE AGENCY BADLY NEEDED 
CASH IT CANNOT GET FROM ITS OWN FINANCIALLY STRAPPED GOVERNMENT. 
NASA WOULD USE THE MONEY TO PURCHASE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES FOR 
USE ON THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION SO THE RUSSIANS CAN AFFORD
TO CONTINUE BUILDING HARDWARE T/H/E/Y H/A/V/E PROMISED FOR THE 
OUTPOST.

THE U-S SPACE AGENCY IS ALSO SEEKING ANOTHER 600 MILLION DOLLARS 
TO TAKE STEPS TO OVERCOME U-S DEPENDENCE ON RUSSIAN SPACE STATION
HARDWARE.

THE REQUEST IS BEING RECEIVED ANGRILY BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE 
HOUSE  OF REPRESENTATIVES SCIENCE COMMITTEE, WHICH MUST VOTE ON 
IT AS PART  OF THE APPROPRIATIONS PROCESS.  AT A COMMITTEE 
HEARING WEDNESDAY,  R/E/P/U/B/L/I/C/A/N CONGRESSMAN JAMES 
SENSENBRENNER CHASTISED THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION FOR GIVING THE
RUSSIANS A CRITICAL ROLE IN SPACE STATION DEVELOPMENT.

                     // SENSENBRENNER ACT //

         THE ADMINISTRATION NEEDS TO TAKE THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT 
         OUT OF THE CRITICAL PATH NOW -- AS PROMISED TO ME BY THE
         PRESIDENT OVER FOUR YEARS AGO.  THE ADMINISTRATION 
         PROMISED WE WOULD  NOT  BECOME DEPENDENT UPON RUSSIA.  
         THE ADMINISTRATION LIED.

                          // END ACT //

BUT NASA ADMINISTRATOR DANIEL GOLDIN INSISTS IT WOULD BE CHEAPER 
TO SPEND THE EXTRA MONEY TO SUPPORT RUSSIA'S ROLE IN THE PLANNED 
ORBITING LABORATORY THAN TO HAVE TO TAKE IT OVER.  IN FORCEFUL 
TESTIMONY, HE SAID THE AMOUNT IS SMALL COMPARED TO THE 40 BILLION
DOLLARS HE SAYS NASA HAS SAVED IN RECENT YEARS BY PARING BACK ON 
THE STATION AND OTHER PROGRAMS TO HELP REDUCE THE GOVERNMENT 
BUDGET DEFICIT.

                        // GOLDIN ACT //

         I WOULD SAY THAT THIS PROGRAM HAS TO BE TERMINATED 
         UNLESS THEIR IS SOME COMMITMENT BY THIS GOVERNMENT THAT 
         SAYS WE HAVE TO PUT THE MONEY INTO THE SPACE STATION 
         THAT IT NEEDS.  IF WE DON'T GET THE RESOURCES THAT WE 
         NEED, THEN AND ONLY THEN WOULD I SAY LET'S TERMINATE IT.

                          // END ACT //

MR. GOLDIN ADMITS IT MAY TAKE MORE SPENDING THAN WHAT HE IS 
ASKING TO KEEP RUSSIA'S SPACE STATION PARTICIPATION ALIVE.  
OTHERS POINT OUT RUSSIA WILL REMAIN AN UNCERTAIN SPACE PARTNER 
AND THAT MONEY IS NOT A CURE FOR THE DIFFICULTIES FACING IT.  
VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY EXPERT JUDYTH TWIGG SAYS THE 
RUSSIAN SPACE PROGRAM HAS SUFFERED A HUGE DEGRADATION OVER THE 
LAST DECADE OF ITS OPERATIONAL AND INDUSTRIAL CAPABILITY.  THIS 
IS THE RESULT, SHE SAYS, OF THE MIGRATION OF TALENT ABROAD AND 
THE CORROSION OF IMPORTANT INFRASTRUCTURE.

                         // TWIGG ACT //

            RUSSIA'S PROBLEMS ARE  NOT  JUST FINANCIAL PROBLEMS. 
            THEY ARE DEEPLY EMBEDDED INFRASTRUCTURE PROBLEMS THAT
            TOOK A LONG TIME TO DEVELOP AND THEREFORE THEY WILL 
            TAKE A LONG TIME TO SOLVE.

                          // END ACT //

// OPT //  ANOTHER OBSERVER OF THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE SCENE -- 
AEROSPACE CONSULTANT JAMES OBERG OF HOUSTON, TEXAS -- SAYS THE 
RUSSIAN SPACE PROGRAM'S AGONY RESULTS FROM TOO MANY YEARS OF LEAN
BUDGETS WHICH PREDATE THE COUNTRY'S CURRENT ECONOMIC CRISIS.

                       // OPT OBERG ACT //

         THINK OF THE RUSSIAN SPACE INDUSTRY PERHAPS AS A TOP 
         ATHLETE WHO SPENT 10 YEARS IN THE GULAG WHERE THEY HAVE 
         BEEN STARVED, BEATEN, AND INFECTED, BROWBEATEN, AND 
         COWED BY THEIR ENVIRONMENT.  THEY HAVE SURVIVED, BUT YOU
         CAN'T EXPECT THEM TO COME BACK, FEED THEM A GOOD MEAL, 
         AND EXPECT THEM TO COMPETE IN THE OLYMPICS.

                   // END ACT // // END OPT //

THE FIRST ELEMENT OF THE SPACE STATION -- A RUSSIAN MODULE -- IS 
TO BE LAUNCHED NEXT MONTH FROM KAZAKHSTAN.  A U-S MODULE IS TO BE
SENT ALOFT IN DECEMBER.  BUT THE RUSSIAN FINANCIAL CRISIS IS 
AFFECTING COMPLETION OF A THIRD UNIT THAT WILL PROVIDE LIFE 
SUPPORT FOR CREWS, CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR THE STATION, AND 
PROPULSION TO KEEP IT FROM FALLING OUT OF ORBIT.  NASA OFFICIALS 
SAY IF THEY ARE   NOT  CONVINCED SOON IT CAN BE LAUNCHED NEXT 
YEAR, THEY MAY HAVE TO POSTPONE LAUNCH OF THE FIRST TWO PART THIS
YEAR.  (SIGNED)

NEB/DEM/PT

07-Oct-98 5:48 PM EDT (2148 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.