Mir/Space Station Programs Focus of Congressional Hearings

NASA’s announcement that it will exchange U.S. astronaut Michael Foale for David Wolf on Mir via a space shuttle flight to be launched tonight follows two hearings on Capitol Hill last week. NASA Administrator Daniel Goldin summarized his agency’s position today as follows: “We move forward not only because it is safe, but for the important scientific and human experience we can gain only from Mir. As we prepare for the June 1998 launch of the first element of the International Space Station, nothing can beat the hands-on, real-time training aboard Mir.”

Goldin’s comments touch on some of the issues raised at a September 18 hearing of the House Committee on Science. Science Committee members, most of whom support the space station program, have been troubled by Mir’s system failures. Earlier this year, committee chairman Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI) and committee ranking minority member George Brown (D-CA) included a provision in the House-passed Civilian Space Authorization Act requiring the NASA administrator to certify “to Congress that the Mir Space Station meets or exceeds United States safety standards.” Sensenbrenner started his hearing by referring to NASA Inspector General findings that, according to the chairman, “detail a litany of mishaps, excuses, inconsistencies, and tolerance for failure that I never expected to be confronted with in a NASA program.” While Brown’s opening comments were less critical, he added that he was in “very substantial agreement” with Sensenbrenner.

The four witnesses testifying at this hearing offered differing assessments. NASA Inspector General Roberta Gross, who had been asked this summer by Sensenbrenner and Brown to review the Mir program, centered her remarks on the adequacy of NASA’s processes and procedures. Due to time constraints, Gross said, “we have not evaluated the effectiveness of these mechanisms.” While careful not to offer definite conclusions, Gross did raise a number of significant questions. Frank Culbertson, Manager of the Phase I (Shuttle/Mir) Program described both technical problems and benefits of the current effort, but probably had the biggest impact when he described his personal relationships with the astronauts and their families, and his unwillingness to place the astronauts in an unsafe situation.

Also testifying was James Oberg, described by the committee as “a nationally recognized expert on Russia’s space program.” Oberg was highly critical of Mir’s safety, and concluded his written testimony with “No,” in answer to the question, “Do we leave another American aboard Mir?” Marcia Smith, of the Congressional Research Service, did not directly answer the question about the safety of Mir, but cited a recent statement by astronaut Jerry Linenger, who said that the “purpose of occupying Mir has become survival for survival’s sake.’” Concluded Smith, “The question becomes whether that is sufficient cause for astronauts to remain on Mir.”

Within an hour of this hearing’s conclusion, another was getting underway before the Senate Science, Technology and Space Subcommittee, chaired by Senator Bill Frist (R-TN). Frist called this hearing to review the progress and problems of the space station program. NASA Administrator Goldin was the lead witness, who assured the senators that the “initial launch date [next June] can be achieved.” Goldin expressed concern about the flat funding profile for the station while construction and assembly operations become more intense, and asked for flexibility to shift money within the over-all NASA budget. Current estimates of the station’s past and future cost overruns are $600 million.

When asked about the impact of shifting money on space science, Goldin replied that “we do not believe we will inflict any serious damage,” adding that while there will be no compromise of science, there might be some “discomfort.” Goldin indicated he wants to squeeze the money needed for the station cost overruns from the mission support budget.

NASA’s space station funding problems are likely to continue, with Douglas Stone of Boeing stating it is “too early to declare victory.” Concerns about Mir have an intense human dimension, although a shorter time frame. Goldin told the Senate subcommittee that after the last U.S. astronaut and Russian cosmonauts leave the station next June, the Russians are contemplating de-orbiting Mir after breaking it up into four smaller pieces.