DATE=12/18/98 TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT NUMBER=5-42184 TITLE=YEARENDER: U.S. / RUSSIA SPACE '98 BYLINE=DAVID MCALARY DATELINE=WASHINGTON CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: THE JOINT SPACE PROJECT THE UNITED STATES, RUSSIA, AND 14 OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE BEEN WORKING TOWARD FOR YEARS FINALLY GOT UNDERWAY THIS YEAR. THE FIRST TWO COMPONENTS OF THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION WERE CONNECTED IN ORBIT IN DECEMBER AFTER A YEAR'S DELAY BECAUSE OF RUSSIAN FUNDING PROBLEMS. AS WE HEAR FROM V-O-A SCIENCE CORRESPONDENT DAVID MCALARY, THE PROJECT IS TAKING A LITTLE MORE U-S ASSISTANCE THAN WASHINGTON HAD PLANNED. TEXT: IT WAS EASY TO FORGET WHEN WATCHING THE RECENT ORBITAL CONSTRUCTION MANEUVERS HOW TENTATIVE THE STATION PROJECT HAS SEEMED OVER THE YEARS. THE U-S CONGRESS NARROWLY AVOIDED KILLING IT IN YEARS PAST BECAUSE OF ITS GROWING COST, LEADING TO REDESIGNS TO REDUCE ITS SCOPE. MANY LAWMAKERS HAVE ALSO OBJECTED TO DEPENDING ON THE FINANCIALLY WOBBLY RUSSIAN SPACE AGENCY FOR CRITICAL STATION COMPONENTS -- AND EVENTS OF 1998 NEARLY PROVED THEM CORRECT. BECAUSE OF MOSCOW'S MONEY WOES, THE ESSENTIAL STATION CONTROL MODULE REMAINED INCOMPLETE. THE INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS WERE FORCED TO AGREE IN JUNE TO DELAY ASSEMBLY ONCE AGAIN TO NOVEMBER 1998 -- 12 MONTHS LATER THAN THE INITIAL SCHEDULE. THE TOP RANKING OPPOSITION DEMOCRAT ON THE U-S HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SCIENCE COMMITTEE -- GEORGE BROWN -- WAS UPSET. // BROWN ACT // I'M VERY UNHAPPY WITH THIS SITUATION, BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN URGING A DIFFERENT COURSE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND BEEN REPEATEDLY TOLD THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THIS -- THAT WE COULD TRUST EITHER OUR ADMINISTRATION OR THE RUSSIAN ADMINISTRATION TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING WENT WELL. // END ACT // TO KEEP MOSCOW INVOLVED, THE U-S SPACE AGENCY NASA INFUSED MORE CASH INTO ITS IMPOVERISHED RUSSIAN COUNTERPART -- A PLANNED 660 MILLION DOLLARS OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS TO BUY SPACE STATION GOOD AND SERVICES FROM MOSCOW. NASA ADMINISTRATOR DANIEL GOLDIN WENT BEFORE THE SCIENCE COMMITTEE TO BLAME RUSSIAN LEADERSHIP FOR THE TROUBLES. IN THE END, HOWEVER, HE REFUSED TO GIVE UP ON A FORMER COLD WAR ADVERSARY WHOSE SPACE STATION EXPERTISE WASHINGTON SEEKS AND WHOSE ROCKET SCIENTISTS IT WANTS TO KEEP EMPLOYED FOR PEACEFUL MEANS. // GOLDIN ACT // IF WE CUT OFF THE RUSSIANS, WE'LL SEND A SIGNAL TO THE PEOPLE IN RUSSIA WHO AREN'T LOOKING FOR DEMOCRACY, WHO DON'T WANT TO HAVE COOPERATION IN SPACE. IT'S A VERY TOUGH SITUATION BUT MY INNER SELF SAYS WE'VE GOT TO WORK TOGETHER FIND A WAY AND NOT LET GO OF THIS WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY THAT THE PEOPLE OF THIS WORLD ARE LOOKING AT. // END ACT // ALL THE WHILE, U-S AND RUSSIAN TRAINING FOR SPACE STATION BUILDING CONTINUED, WITH TWO FINAL SPACE SHUTTLE DOCKINGS AND ONE MORE ASTRONAUT TRANSFER TO THE MIR SPACE STATION. OTHER SHUTTLE FLIGHTS WERE BUSY WITH TESTS OF EQUIPMENT TO BE USED IN STATION ASSEMBLY AND RESEARCH OF THE TYPE TO BE CONDUCTED WHEN THE STATION TURNS INTO A LABORATORY. EVEN U-S SPACE HERO JOHN GLENN JOINED THE RESEARCH IN LATE OCTOBER DURING A SHUTTLE MISSION WHICH RETURNED HIM TO ORBIT 36 YEARS AFTER BECOMING THE FIRST AMERICAN TO CIRCLE EARTH. CRITICS ARGUED THAT THE ASSIGNMENT WAS A NASA PUBLIC RELATIONS GIMMICK AND A POLITICAL PAYOFF TO REWARD SENATOR GLENN FOR HIS SUPPORT OF PRESIDENT CLINTON. THE 77-YEAR-OLD GLENN REFUTED THOSE CLAIMS, SAYING ORBITAL INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE AGING PROCESS HAD LONG BEEN HIS GOAL. /// OPT /// ONCE IN SPACE, THE WORLD'S OLDEST ASTRONAUT ENJOYED HIMSELF. // GLENN OPT ACT // WELL, I HOPE I NEVER GROW UP TO WHERE SOMETHING NEW LIKE THIS DOES NOT LEAVE ME LIKE A LITTLE KID ON NEW EXPERIENCES BECAUSE TOO MANY OLD FOLKS -- YOU KNOW OLD FOLKS CAN HAVE DREAMS, TOO, AS WELL AS YOUNG FOLKS, AND WORK TOWARD THEM. // END ACT // // END OPT ACT // THE GLENN SHUTTLE FLIGHT WAS A PUBLIC RELATIONS TRIUMPH FOR NASA, FOLLOWED A LITTLE MORE THAN A MONTH LATER BY THE LONG-ANTICIPATED SPACE STATION CONSTRUCTION. IN A WEEK, ASTRONAUTS LED BY COMMANDER BOB CABANA CONNECTED AND WIRED THE FIRST TWO U-S AND RUSSIAN MODULES IN THE CARGO HOLD OF THE SHUTTLE "ENDEAVOUR," TAKING THREE SPACEWALKS TO DO SO. // CABANA ACT // WE WERE KIND OF OVERCOME WITH WHAT HAD BEEN ACCOMPLISHED. IT WAS TRULY AMAZING. IT WAS REALLY GREAT FOR ALL OF US TO SEE IT ALL COME TOGETHER AND ALL OF IT WORK. WE KEPT PINCHING OURSELVES AND SAYING, "IT CAN'T BE REAL, IT'S GOING SO WELL AND EVERYTHING IS SO RIGHT AND IT JUST LOOKS SO GOOD." // END ACT // THE NEXT STATION COMPONENT -- THE CONTROVERSIAL RUSSIAN CONTROL MODULE -- IS TO BE ADDED IN JULY. NASA OFFICIALS SAY IT IS NEARLY COMPLETE, BUT ARE TAKING NO CHANCES THAT ASSEMBLY WILL BE DELAYED SIGNIFICANTLY IF IT IS NOT READY. THE UNITED STATES IS MODIFYING OTHER COMPONENTS TO PERFORM POWER AND PROPULSION THE TASKS UNTIL THE MODULE IS READY. (SIGNED) NEB/DEM/GE 18-Dec-98 1:55 PM EST (1855 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .