DATE=9/21/98 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-239038 TITLE=U-S / RUSSIA / SPACE STATION (L) BYLINE=DAVID MCALARY DATELINE=WASHINGTON CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: THE U-S SPACE AGENCY NASA SAYS IT NEEDS TO INJECT MORE MONEY INTO THE FINANCIALLY AILING RUSSIAN SPACE AGENCY TO HELP THE RUSSIAN FINISH A CRUCIAL PART OF THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. AS WE HEAR FROM V-O-A SCIENCE CORRESPONDENT DAVID MCALARY, NASA IS HOPING CONGRESS WILL ADD THE MONEY IT NEEDS TO ITS BUDGET BEGINNING NEXT YEAR. TEXT: NASA SAYS IT IS TRYING TO CONVINCE THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION AND CONGRESS FOR APPROVAL TO SPEND 660 MILLION DOLLARS TO BUY ADDITIONAL GOODS AND SERVICES FROM THE RUSSIAN SPACE AGENCY OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS. THE MONEY WOULD PROVIDE BADLY NEEDED CASH FOR THE RUSSIANS SO THEY CAN AFFORD TO CONTINUE PARTICIPATING IN THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION PROJECT. THE CHIEF OF NASA'S OFFICE OF SPACE FLIGHT -- JOSEPH ROTHENBERG -- SAYS THE 660 MILLION DOLLARS WOULD BUY ADDITIONAL RUSSIAN SPACECRAFT THAT WOULD BE USED TO SHIP CARGO AND PEOPLE TO THE OUTPOST AFTER COMPLETION. // ROTHENBERG ACT // WE HAVE DONE A ROUGH ESTIMATE AND SAID WE THINK THAT'S ABOUT HALF OF THE TOTAL RUSSIAN NEEDS. WE ALSO THINK THAT HALF WOULD BUY THE GOODS AND SERVICES WE NEEDED THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO CONTINUE ASSEMBLY OF THE SPACE STATION APPROXIMATELY ON THE SCHEDULE WE CAN LIVE WITH. IT'S CLOSE TO THE SCHEDULE WE HAVE NOW. // END ACT // THE FIRST TWO STATION MODULES ARE RUSSIAN AND U-S BUILT RESPECTIVELY AND ARE TO BE LAUNCHED IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER. THE FIRST 100 MILLION DOLLARS OF THE EXTRA U-S ASSISTANCE WOULD ALLOW RUSSIA TO COMPLETE A THIRD MODULE CALLED THE SERVICE MODULE THAT WILL PROVIDE LIFE SUPPORT FOR CREWS, CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR THE STATION, AND PROPULSION TO KEEP IT FROM FALLING OUT OF ORBIT. THE SERVICE MODULE IS 98 PER CENT FINISHED AND IS TO BE LAUNCHED LAUNCHED NEXT JULY IF THE MONEY COMES THROUGH. IT MUST GO UP WITHIN A FEW MONTHS OF THE JULY DATE IN ORDER TO KEEP THE FIRST TWO COMPONENTS ALOFT. TO MEET THAT SCHEDULE, MR. ROTHENBERG SAYS NASA MAY HAVE TO TAKE THE MONEY FROM CURRENT U-S SPACE PROGRAMS IF THE WHITE HOUSE AND CONGRESS FAIL TO AUTHORIZE MORE MONEY. // ROTHENBERG ACT // WE'RE MAKING IT CLEAR THAT WE DON'T HAVE THIS MONEY. NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE ADMINISTRATION AND ULTIMATELY CONGRESS ARE IN FRONT OF US. THERE'S NO REAL COMMITMENT TO GIVE US THIS MONEY. THE RUSSIANS DO KNOW THAT. THEY GO THROUGH THE SAME PROBLEM. // END ACT // THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION SOUGHT RUSSIAN PARTICIPATION AFTER THE END OF THE COLD WAR, IN PART TO KEEP UNEMPLOYED RUSSIAN SCIENTISTS FROM BEING HIRED TO WORK ON WEAPONS PROGRAMS OF NATIONS HOSTILE TO THE UNITED STATES. IT ALSO JUSTIFIED THE DECISION BASED ON RUSSIA'S LONG EXPERIENCE IN OPERATING SPACE STATIONS. NEWS REPORTS SAY KEY CLINTON ADMINISTRATION AND U-S CONGRESSIONAL OFFICIALS BELIEVE 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. // REST OPT // NASA IS STILL NEGOTIATING THE COST OF THE GOODS AND SERVICES IT PLANS TO BUY FROM THE RUSSIAN SPACE AGENCY. MR. ROTHENBERG SAYS THE TWO SIDES HAVE NOT AGREED ON THE PRICE FOR THE ROCKETS IT WOULD BUY. A REPORT IN "THE WASHINGTON POST" NEWSPAPER SAYS MOSCOW IS HOLDING OUT FOR MORE MONEY THAN THE UNITED STATES IS WILLING TO PAY FOR CERTAIN EQUIPMENT. MR. ROTHENBERG CONFIRMED THAT THE TALKS ARE TOUGH. // ROTHENBERG ACT // WHENEVER YOU'RE IN A NEGOTIATION WITH THE OTHER GUY AND HE KNOWS HOW DEEP YOUR POCKETS ARE OR HE THINKS HOW DEEP YOUR POCKETS ARE, HE SUDDENLY HAS A DIFFERENT VIEWPOINT AND MAY BE WILLING TO HANG TOUGH [BARGAIN HARDER] A LITTLE LONGER ON HIS NUMBERS. // END ACT // MR. ROTHENBERG ADDS THAT IF NASA IS NOT CONVINCED THE RUSSIAN SERVICE MODULE CAN BE PAID FOR AND FINISHED ON TIME, THE SCHEDULED LAUNCH OF THE RUSSIAN AND U-S MODULES FOR NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER WILL BE DELAYED AGAIN. (SIGNED) NEB/DEM/PT 21-Sep-98 8:12 PM EDT (0012 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .