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From: METH@USC-ISI@sri-unix.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Space Station Decision
Message-ID: <12534@sri-arpa.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 12-Oct-83 19:51:06 EDT
Article-I.D.: sri-arpa.12534
Posted: Wed Oct 12 19:51:06 1983
Date-Received: Mon, 17-Oct-83 22:49:30 EDT
Lines: 21

>From Aviation Week and Space Technology
October 10, 1983, Page 17.

Development of a space shuttle orbiter capabitily for missions of 
20-30  days in connection with a more slowly paced US space  sta-
tion  buildup  will be floated as a compromise  position  between 
space station advocates and station foes.   Defense Dept.'s posi-
tion  on an extended orbiter development is more  favorable  than 
some  managers have characterized it earlier (AW&ST  Oct.  3,  p. 
19).   Paul Thayer, deputy secretary of Defense, has written NASA 
Administrator  James H.  Beggs that,  "To the extent that a  more 
permanent  presence of man in space might contribute to satisfac-
tion  of  national security goals,  we believe a  more  promising 
approach  is to extend the capability of the space  shuttle."   A 
station  development could require NASA budgets of $18-20 billion 
per year by the early 1990s with $3 billion per year required for
station development alone in the late 1980s.  With such potential 
costs  there  are managers in the station  decision  process  who 
intend  to urge President Reagen to opt for a longer-paced devel-
opment as opposed to a 1991 station target date.
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