DATE=11/17/98
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-41889
TITLE=SPACE STATION-PREP
BYLINE=PETER HEINLEIN
DATELINE=KOROLYOV SPACE CENTER, RUSSIA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

/////  ED'S: LAUNCH OF THE "ZARYA" MODULE IS SET FOR 0640 HOURS, 
                    27 SECONDS FRIDAY. /////

INTRO:  THE FIRST COMPONENT OF THE MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR  
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION IS POISED ON A LAUNCH PAD IN THE 
DESERT OF CENTRAL ASIA, READY FOR A FRIDAY BLAST-OFF.   
CORRESPONDENT PETER HEINLEIN WENT TO THE RUSSIAN MISSION CONTROL 
CENTER OUTSIDE MOSCOW FOR AN UPDATE ON LAUNCH PREPARATIONS.

TEXT:  IT WILL BE THE MOST HIGH-TECH ENTERPRISE EVER UNDERTAKEN 
IN SPACE EXPLORATION, AND AT 60-BILLION DOLLARS, EASILY THE MOST 
EXPENSIVE.  WHEN COMPLETED, ITS INTERIOR WILL BE BIGGER THAN TWO 
HUGE BOEING 747 JETS. 

BUT THE DAWN OF THE ERA OF THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION IS TO 
BE A RELATIVELY MODEST AFFAIR. 

THE FIRST MODULE, A CARGO BLOCK NAMED "ZARYA" -- THE RUSSIAN WORD
FOR "DAWN," OR "SUNRISE" -- IS TO LIFT OFF FRIDAY FROM THE 
BAIKONUR COSMODROME IN THE BARREN DESERT OF KAZAKHSTAN.

FOR RUSSIA'S PROUD, BUT CASH-POOR, SPACE PROGRAM THE LAUNCH IS A 
MONUMENTAL EVENT.  THIS DAWN OF A NEW ERA OF SPACE EXPLORATION IS
BEGINNING WITH A RUSSIAN-BUILT MODULE, AND BEING CARRIED INTO 
ORBIT BY A RUSSIAN "PROTON" ROCKET.

CONSTRUCTION OF "ZARYA" WAS FINANCED BY THE UNITED STATES SPACE 
AGENCY NASA, THROUGH A CONTRACT WITH THE U-S COMPANY -- BOEING.

BUT THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE KRUNICHEV STATE RESEARCH COMPANY THAT 
BUILT "ZARYA", SERGEI JHILTSOV, SAYS DESPITE RUSSIA'S FINANCIAL 
CRISIS IT IS AGAIN PROVING ITSELF A LEADER IN SPACE EXPLORATION.

                      /// JHILTSOV ACT ///

         I DO NOT WANT TO BE MODEST, SO I WILL SAY ITS A KEY 
         ROLE. A GREAT ROLE.  WE DESIGNED AND PRODUCED THE FIRST 
         ELEMENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.  WE WILL 
         LAUNCH IT BY PROTON, WHICH WE DESIGNED AND PRODUCED 
         HERE.  AND IN GENERAL KRUNICHEV DID EVERYTHING FROM 
         BEGINNING TO END.  I MEAN THIS FIRST ELEMENT.  SO SURE, 
         WE ARE PROUD.

                         /// END ACT ///

/// OPT ///  WHILE THIS FIRST MODULE IS RUSSIAN, PLANS CALL FOR 
THE UNITED STATES TO BE THE DOMINANT PARTNER IN THE SPACE STATION
PROGRAM.  EVENTUALLY, COMMAND OF THE SPACE STATION WILL SWITCH TO
THE JOHNSON SPACE CENTER IN HOUSTON, AND THE LANGUAGE SPOKEN 
ABOARD THE STATION WILL CHANGE FROM RUSSIAN TO ENGLISH.  /// END 
OPT ///

AT RUSSIA'S MISSION CONTROL CENTER, A TEAM OF NASA SPECIALISTS 
HAS SET UP A SPACE STATION COMMAND CENTER IN CLOSE COOPERATION 
WITH RUSSIAN SPACE EXPERTS.  SPOKESMEN FOR BOTH SIDES SAY 
LANGUAGE AND CULTURAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN TWO PROUD SPACE 
PROGRAMS HAVE RESULTED IN SOME TENSE MOMENTS.

BUT NASA FLIGHT DIRECTOR JOHN CURRY SAYS EVERY JOINT MISSION 
UNDERTAKEN HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL.

                        /// CURRY ACT ///

         I AM IMPRESSED WE HAVE PUT THIS TOGETHER AND IT IS GOING
         TO COME TO FRUITION, AND THE FACT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO 
         TIE SO MANY CULTURES, NOT JUST THE RUSSIANS, BUT ALSO 
         THE EUROPEANS AND JAPANESE IN ONE BIG PROJECT AND MAKE 
         SURE EVERYBODY WORKS TOWARD THIS COMMON GOAL.

                         /// END ACT ///

MR. CURRY SAYS THE TEAM OF NASA SPECIALISTS AT MISSION CONTROL 
MOSCOW HAS BEEN TRAINING ALONG WITH THEIR RUSSIAN COUNTERPARTS 
FOR TWO-YEARS IN PREPARATION FOR ZARYA'S LAUNCH.  AND NOW, IT IS 
ALMOST HERE -- 6:40 UNIVERSAL TIME FRIDAY -- THE DAWN OF A NEW 
AGE OF SPACE EXPLORATION.   (SIGNED)

NEB/PFH/PCF/RAE

17-Nov-98 10:45 AM EST (1545 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.