DATE= 10/2/97 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-220751 TITLE=U-S LASER TEST (L) BYLINE=REBECCA MCMENAMIN DATELINE=PENTAGON CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: U-S DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM COHEN HAS GIVEN APPROVAL FOR A CONTROVERSIAL EXPERIMENT IN WHICH A GROUND-BASED LASER WILL BE FIRED AT AN ORBITING U-S AIR FORCE SATELLITE. REBECCA MCMENAMIN REPORTS THAT WHILE THE PENTAGON VIEWS THE TEST AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO COLLECT VITAL DATA -- SOME MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, AS WELL AS ARMS CONTROL ADVOCATES, ARE NOT PLEASED. TEXT: THE LASER EXPERIMENT IS TO BE CONDUCTED WITHIN DAYS, WEATHER PERMITTING. IN WHAT WILL BE THE FIRST TEST OF ITS KIND, U-S FORCES IN THE WESTERN STATE OF NEW MEXICO WILL FIRE A POWERFUL GROUND-BASED LASER AT A MILITARY SATELLITE ORBITING SOME 400 KILOMETERS UP IN SPACE. THEY WILL THEN ANALYZE SENSORS ON THE SPACECRAFT TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTS OF THE LASER BEAM. DEFENSE OFFICIALS SAY THE PURPOSE IS NOT TO DESTROY THE SATELLITE, BUT TO TEST THE VULNERABILITY OF SUCH SPACECRAFT TO LASERS. THIS INFORMATION COULD BE CRITICAL IN TIME OF WARFARE, GIVEN THE INCREASING USE OF SPACE PROBES FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND SPYING ACTIVITIES. HOWEVER, CRITICS SAY SUCH A TEST COULD FUEL A NEW ARMS RACE. DEMOCRATIC SENATOR TOM HARKIN (OF IOWA) RELEASED A STATEMENT CALLING THE EXPERIMENT UNNECESSARY AND PROVOCATIVE. HE SAYS IT WILL HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON ARMS CONTROL EFFORTS. CHARLES VICK, A RESEARCH ANALYST WITH "THE FEDERATION OF AMERICAN SCIENTISTS" BASED IN WASHINGTON, AGREES. // VICK ACT // IT'S CERTAINLY A PROVOCATIVE DECISION TO CARRY OUT A TEST OF A WEAPONS SYSTEM THAT IS NOT NECESSARILY NEEDED. IT MAY BE LOOKED AT AS A PROVOCATION BY OTHER NATIONS, CREATING A NEW STRATEGIC ARMS RACE FOR THAT KIND OF CAPABILITY. // END ACT // BUT A PENTAGON SPOKESMAN, NAVY CAPTAIN MIKE DOUBLEDAY, REJECTS SUCH CRITICISM. HE SAYS THE TEST DOES NOT VIOLATE ANY INTERNATIONAL TREATIES AND THAT IT IS AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF EFFORTS TO PROTECT AMERICAN SATELLITES. // DOUBLEDAY ACT // WE'VE BEEN VERY CLEAR. THIS IS AN EXPERIMENT BEING USED TO REDUCE VULNERABILITY OF U-S SATELLITE SYSTEMS. IT IS A LOGICAL STEP TO TAKE. WE ARE INTERESTED HERE IN GATHERING DATA WHICH CAN IMPROVE OUR PLANNING FOR PROTECTION OF OUR SATELLITES. // END ACT // CAPTAIN DOUBLEDAY ADDS THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT IS BECOMING MORE RELIANT ON WEAPONS TECHNOLOGIES THAT ARE SATELLITE-BASED SO, IN HIS WORDS, IT IS PRUDENT TO MAKE THE SPACE PROBES AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE. // REST OPT // MEANWHILE, THERE IS YET ANOTHER ASPECT TO THE CRITICISM OF THE PENTAGON DECISION -- COMING FROM THE COMPANY THAT MANUFACTURED THE TARGET SATELLITE, SPECTRUM ASTRO. COMPANY SPOKESMAN STAN DUBYN SAYS ONLY 40 PERCENT OF THE SPACECRAFT'S CAPABILITY HAS BEEN EXPLOITED DURING ITS 15 MONTHS IN ORBIT. // DUBYN ACT // IT IS SIGNIFICANTLY PREMATURE TO BE PUTTING THIS SPACECRFAT OUT OF COMMISSION AT THIS JUNCTURE. WE SPECIFICALLY PUT THREE YEARS OF FUEL ON BOARD HOPING WE WOULD GET TO OPERATE THE SPACECRAFT FOR THREE YEARS. // END ACT // MR. DUBYN SAYS THERE ARE A NUMBER OF OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND COMMERCIAL INTERESTS WILLING TO PAY FOR INFORMATION THE SATELLITE COULD STILL PROVIDE. THIS RANGES FROM DATA ABOUT MINERAL AND MINING EXPLORATION, TO TRENDS REGARDING CROPS AND FORESTATION, AND EVEN FOREST FIRES AND OIL SLICKS. (SIGNED) NEB/RJM/RRM 02-Oct-97 4:46 PM EDT (2046 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .