Tim Furniss/LONDON
NASA IS TO REJECT Russian proposals to include the Mir 1 space station as part of the Alpha International Space Station programme (Flight International, 6-12 December).
The US space agency confirms that Russia has made the proposal, but says: "We do not want to deviate from the schedule. We cannot have anything that increases costs, and we cannot take an increase in risk - the bottom line is that we will not redesign the Space Station."
The Russian proposal indicates its realisation that it will find it hard to fund new hardware to meet the schedule for the Alpha. Although Russia is being paid $120 million to provide the first Alpha element, the Functional Energy Block module, to be launched in November 1997, the country will not be paid for further contributions.
Russia says that, with servicing, the Mir 1 space station can continue to operate in orbit until 2002. It is playing host to a series of Shuttle Mir missions (SMM) which will be completed in 1997.
The Mir 1 incorporates a core module, launched in 1986, but a new Spektr module was launched this year and a new Priroda module will be joined to the station in March 1996. It would be a waste to mothball these new modules, says Russia.
Russia has clearly demonstrated the Mir's ability to host Shuttle missions and international crews, which numbered ten people on the SMM 1 mission launched in June.
A possible solution could be, to switch the Spektr and Priroda modules from the Mir 1 to the Alpha, to replace modules, which Russia had planned to launch. NASA says that this will not constitute a redesign.
Russia believes that using the Mir 1 makes financial sense to NASA, as a large operational station can be constructed earlier than can be achieved, with the Alpha schedule (Flight International, 22-28 November).
If NASA cannot accommodate the request, it faces the risk that Russia will continue to operate a competing Mir 1 station. Agency officials are also aware that the Alpha schedule will be jeopardised by Russian delays and difficulties.
Even worse, if Russia pulls out, NASA will come under intense pressure from the US Congress, which gave its support to funding largely because of the new Russian participation.
A redesign to accommodate Russia's requests will not be viewed favourably by the Congress either. The early Alpha missions are already dominated by Russian hardware.
An Alpha which costs more, takes more time to build and affects international relations further by delaying the involvement of Canada, Japan and Europe, will find less support. Deterioration in relations with Russia could also affect further agreed SMM flights, the next of which is scheduled for 28 March 1996.
Source: Flight International
