DATE=11/15/98
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-41870
TITLE=SPACE STATION / MISSION
BYLINE=PETER HEINLEIN
DATELINE=KOROLYOV SPACE CENTER, RUSSIA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 


///// "ZARYA" RUSSIAN ACCENTED ON THE LAST SYLLABLE, THOUGH THE 
     PEOPLE AT NASA USUALLY STRESS THE FIRST SYLLABLE. /////

INTRO:  THE COUNTDOWN IS AT ____ DAYS, ____ HOURS UNTIL "ZARYA", 
THE RUSSIAN WORD MEANING "SUNRISE".  THIS FRIDAY, AT 6:40 
UNIVERSAL TIME, "ZARYA" -- THE FIRST COMPONENT OF THE NEW 
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION -- IS SCHEDULED TO BLAST OFF FROM 
RUSSIA'S BAIKONUR COSMODROME IN THE CENTRAL ASIAN DESERT.  
CORRESPONDENT PETER HEINLEIN WENT TO MISSION CONTROL OUTSIDE 
MOSCOW, AND FOUND A CONFIDENT GROUND CREW READY FOR THE DAWN OF A
NEW ERA IN SPACE EXPLORATION, AND COOPERATION.

TEXT:  NASA FLIGHT DIRECTOR JOHN CURRY IS THE PICTURE OF 
CONFIDENCE.  AT THE TENDER AGE OF 33, MR. CURRY IS ALREADY A 
VETERAN OF 13-YEARS WITH THE U-S SPACE PROGRAM. 

                        /// CURRY ACT ///

         IT IS A HECK OF AN ENDEAVOR TO PUT THIS TOGETHER.  I 
         HAVE BEEN INSIDE ZARYA.  IT IS AN AMAZING PIECE OF 
         MACHINERY.  I AM PRETTY CONFIDENT EVERYTHING IS GOING TO
         GO OFF REALLY WELL.

                         /// END ACT ///

WHEN A RUSSIAN PROTON ROCKET BLASTS OFF FRIDAY CARRYING THE FIRST
MODULE OF THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION INTO ORBIT, IT IS JOHN 
CURRY WHO WILL BE DIRECTING U-S OPERATIONS AT MISSION CONTROL.

HIS STEEL BLUE EYES SHINE AS HE TALKS OF THE PROJECT HE AND HIS 
TEAM OF SPECIALISTS ARE ABOUT TO EMBARK ON.

                      /// 2ND CURRY ACT ///

         NOW WE ARE STARTING A COMPLETELY NEW ADVENTURE HERE THAT
         IS GOING TO LAST OVER THE COURSE OF AT LEAST 15-YEARS.  
         THE DESIGN LIFE OF THE SPACE STATION, WHEN IT IS FINALLY
         COMPLETE, IS GOING TO HAVE COMBINED THE EFFORTS OF 
         NATIONS ACROSS THE WORLD, MAJOR CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE 
         RUSSIANS, THE EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY, AND JAPAN, CANADA, 
         AS WELL AS US.  AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT HOW COMPLICATED 
         THAT WAS AN ENDEAVOR, PUT TOGETHER THE FACT IT LOOKS 
         LIKE WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO PULL THIS OFF, IT IS 
         PRETTY AWESOME.

                        /// END ACT /// 

"ZARYA" WAS BUILT FOR NASA BY RUSSIA'S KRUNICHEV RESEARCH AND 
PRODUCTION SPACE CENTER IN MOSCOW, UNDER A SUBCONTRACT TO THE 
AMERICAN AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURER "BOEING".  TWO-WEEKS AFTER LAUNCH,
IT IS TO BE LINKED TO A CONNECTING MODULE NAMED "UNITY", A U-S 
BUILT COMPONENT THAT WILL BE SENT INTO ORBIT ABOARD THE SPACE 
SHUTTLE "ENDEAVOR".

THE 20-TON "ZARYA" WILL INITIALLY ACT AS A SORT OF SPACE TUGBOAT,
PROVIDING PROPULSION AND POWER FOR "UNITY."

LATER, AFTER OTHER ELEMENTS ARRIVE AND ARE LINKED TOGETHER, 
"ZARYA" WILL BECOME LITTLE MORE THAN A STATION PASSAGEWAY, 
DOCKING PORT AND FUEL TANK.

BUT THE LAUNCH OF "ZARYA" IS A MILESTONE FOR SPACE EXPLORATION IN
MANY RESPECTS.  NASA SPOKESMAN KYLE HERRING SAYS THE 
INTERNATIONAL STATION'S MOST OBVIOUS ADVANTAGE WILL BE IN 
BRINGING TOGETHER THE BEST IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN PURSUIT  
OF A COMMON GOAL.

                       /// HERRING ACT ///

         THE MOST SIGNIFICANT THING WE SEE IS AN INTERNATIONAL 
         COOPERATION THAT HAS PROBABLY NEVER BEFORE OCCURRED ON 
         THE GROUND OR IN SPACE.

                         /// END ACT ///

BUT MR. HERRING SAYS IN ADDITION TO THE OBVIOUS, THERE ARE OTHER 
INTANGIBLE BENEFITS WE ON EARTH, AT THE END OF THE 20TH CENTURY, 
CANNOT EVEN IMAGINE.

                     /// 2ND HERRING ACT ///

         THE INTANGIBLE IS THAT WE CAN DISCOVER SOMETHING WE HAVE
         NO  IDEA.  I CAN SIT HERE AND TELL YOU WE WOULD LIKE TO 
         CURE CANCER ON THIS STATION.  BUT I DO NOT KNOW THAT.  
         BUT WHAT IF IT HAPPENS?  THE INTANGIBLE IS "WHAT IF?".  
         SO WE ARE SITTING ON THE BRINK OF SOMETHING PEOPLE CAN'T
         SEE YET.

                        /// END ACT /// 

FLIGHT DIRECTOR JOHN CURRY SAYS THE SPACE STATION WILL BE ANOTHER
GIANT STEP IN JOINING THE SUPERPOWER RIVALS OF THE 20TH CENTURY 
INTO THE STRATEGIC PARTNERS OF THE 21ST.

                     /// 3RD CURRY ACT ///  

         THE CLOSER WE GET TO THE 21ST CENTURY, THE LESS AND LESS
         THE DISTANCES ARE BETWEEN AMERICANS AND RUSSIANS.  THE 
         COLD WAR IS OVER, EVERYBODY, AND THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE
         OF HOW UNIFICATION IS TAKING PLACE.

                         /// END ACT ///

THE COUNTDOWN IS ON.  "ZARYA", THE DAWN OF A NEW AGE, IS ONLY A 
MATTER OF HOURS AWAY.   (SIGNED)

NEB/PFH/DW/RAE

15-Nov-98 12:52 PM EST (1752 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.