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From @lex-luthor.ai.mit.edu:HES@REAGAN.AI.MIT.EDU Fri Jun 18 23:02:13 1993
Date: Fri, 18 Jun 1993 13:04-0400
From: The White House <75300.3115@compuserve.com>
To: Clinton-News-Distribution@campaign92.org
Subject: Space Station Information 6.17.93
E X E C U T I V E O F F I C E O F T H E P R E S I D E N T
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
______________________________________________________________
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE THURSDAY, June 17, 1993
SPACE STATION REDESIGN DECISION
REDUCES COSTS, PRESERVES RESEARCH, ENSURES INT'L COOPERATION
WASHINGTON -- President Clinton today (6/17) announced he is
recommending a scaled-down version of the Space Station Freedom
that will significantly reduce costs to taxpayers, preserve
critical research, ensure international cooperation, and mean a
major redesign of America's space agency as well.
The redesigned space station will save an estimated $ 18
billion over the projected two decade life of the program, with
more than $ 4 billion in savings in the next 5 years due to
decreased development, operations, and management costs.
"At a time when our long-term economic strength depends on
our technological leadership and our ability to reduce the
deficit, we must invest in technology but invest wisely, making
the best possible use of every dollar," President Clinton said in
a statement announcing his decision.
"I instructed NASA to redesign the space station program in a
way that would preserve its critical science and space research
and ensure international cooperation but signficantly reduce costs
and improve management. NASA has met that challenge," the
President said, announcing that he is proposing a scaled-down
version of the Space Station Freedom recommended by an expert
panel that reviewed NASA's redesign proposals.
President Clinton said the Administration would work with
Congress, NASA, and America's international partners during the
next 90 days to make the very best use of the simplified design,
an option based on the Space Station Freedom and recommended by
the expert panel assembled to review NASA's proposals for the
redesign of Space Station Freedom.
"I am calling for the U.S. to work with our international
partners to develop a reduced cost, scaled-down version of the
original Space Station Freedom. At the same time, I will also seek
to enhance and expand the opportunities for international
participation in the space station project so that the space
station can serve as a model of nations coming together in
peaceful cooperation. Finally, I will be directing NASA to
implement personnel reductions and major management changes to cut
costs, reduce bureaucracy, and improve efficiency, " the President
said. "We are going to redesign NASA as we redesign the space
station."
President Clinton cited the involvement of the National
Performance Review team, led by Vice President Gore, in working
with NASA to develop proposed management changes.
Ninety days ago, President Clinton asked NASA to review the
Space Station Freedom program to confront rising costs and
management problems. NASA's proposals were reviewed by a team of
experts, led by Dr. Charles Vest, President of MIT, assembled by
Vice President Gore and Dr. John Gibbons, the President's Science
and Technology Advisor. The option chosen by the President was one
of the options recommended by the Vest panel.
-##-
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
_________________________________________________________________
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, June 17, 1993
STATEMENT OF THE PRESIDENT
At a time when our long-term economic strength depends on
our technological leadership and our ability to reduce the
deficit, we must invest in technology but invest wisely, making
the best possible use of every dollar. That's why I asked for a
review of NASA's space station program. Concerns over rising costs
and mismanagement raised serious questions about a program vital
to our technological leadership. I instructed NASA to redesign
the space station program in a way that would preserve its
critical science and space research, and ensure international
cooperation, but significantly reduce costs and improve
management.
NASA has met that challenge, offering a plan that will
substantially reduce costs to taxpayers, improve management,
preserve research, and allow the United States to continue to work
with its international partners and keep its international
commitments. That was the conclusion of an outstanding panel of
independent experts who carefully reviewed NASA's proposals. And,
that is my conclusion as well, after thoroughly considering their
report and recommendations. It will take not just a redesign of
the space station, but a redesign of NASA itself.
I am calling for the U.S. to work with our international
partners to develop a reduced cost, scaled-down version of the
original Space Station Freedom. At the same time, I will also
seek to enhance and expand the opportunities for international
participation in the space station project, so that the space
station can serve as a model of nations coming together in
peaceful cooperation. Finally, I will be directing NASA to
implement personnel reductions and major management changes to cut
costs, reduce bureaucracy, and improve efficiency. The National
Performance Review team, led by Vice President Gore, has been
essential in working with NASA to develop these management
proposals. We are going to redesign NASA at the same time that we
redesign the space station.
To make maximum use of our investments and meet the
scientific goals we have set, the specific design we will pursue
will be a simplified version of Space Station Freedom recommended
by the review panel. We will work with Congress, NASA and our
international partners during the next ninety days to make the
very best use of this design. The details of this proposal will
be delivered to Congress within the next few days. I have asked
Dr. John Gibbons, my Science and Technology Advisor, to transmit
a letter to NASA with more detailed instructions for implementing
this decision.
The redesigned program will capitalize on the investments we
have already made. However, with its deep cuts in future
development and operations costs, this redesigned program will
save more than $4 billion over the next 5 years, compared with
our assessments of what the real costs of funding the planned
Space Station Freedom would have been. Over the two-decade life
of the program, these savings will grow to more than $18 billion.
There is no doubt that we are facing difficult budget
decisions. However, we can not retreat from our obligation to
invest in our future. Budget cuts alone will not restore our
vitality. I believe strongly that NASA and the space station
program represent important investments in that future, and that
these investments will yield benefits in medical research,
aerospace and other critical technology areas. As well, the space
station is a model of peaceful international cooperation,
offering a vision of the new world in which confrontation has been
replaced with cooperation.
In making this announcement today, I want to recognize the
extraordinary efforts of all those involved. Vice President Gore
and Dr. Gibbons assembled an outstanding team of experts, led
by Dr. Charles Vest, President of MIT, who assessed several cost-
saving options prepared by NASA. This review included not only
the design of the space station, but also the structure and
management of NASA itself. Their work and the work of all those
at NASA involved in this project, has been invaluable.
-##-
The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
------------------------------------------------------------------
For Immediate Release June 17, 1993
FACT SHEET: SPACE STATION REDESIGN
* In March, the White House asked NASA to redesign the Space
Station Freedom program to reduce significantly the costs of
the program while achieving many of the current goals for
long duration scientific research. This decision came out
of concerns over both the rising costs of the Space Station
program and the program's management problems.
* To accomplish this, a space station redesign process was
developed which included a NASA redesign team, as well as an
independent panel of experts chaired by Dr. Charles Vest, the
President of MIT. Both the redesign team and the independent
panel included representatives of our international partners
in the Space Station program -- the European Space Agency,
Canada, and Japan.
* NASA's redesign team produced three options as alternatives
to the current Space Station Freedom. Two of these options
(A, B) were derivations of the current Freedom design, and
one (C) was an entirely new design. NASA also conducted an
independent assessment of the costs of the current Space
Station Freedom program.
* The Vest Panel was charged with evaluating the technical
merits of the options developed by NASA, verifying their
costs, and making recommendations to the President. On June
10, the Vest Panel forwarded its recommendations to the White
House. The Vice President and Dr. John Gibbons, the
President's Science and Technology Advisor, were formally
briefed on the report by Dr. Vest on June 11, with a
subsequent briefing to the President by the Vice President
and Dr. Gibbons.
* Among its findings, the Vest Panel concluded that:
The redesign options were technically viable and could
offer significant cost savings over the current Space
Station Freedom design.
The Space Station program could accommodate and would
benefit from increased international participation,
including the possible participation of Russia in the
program.
Successfully completing the Space Station program at
reduced cost would require significant management
changes at NASA in order to decrease excess personnel,
reduce the bureaucracy, and increase efficiency. The
majority of the cost savings would depend upon this
management reform.
Either a scaled down, technically simplified version of
the Space Station Freedom program or the new design
alternative identified by NASA would be recommended for
proceeding with the Space Station program.
* After consideration of the Vest Panel's report, the
President today announced his decision to support the
development of a scaled down, modular version of Space
Station Freedom, consistent with the Panel's recommendations.
NASA will be instructed to work with our international
partners during the next 90 days to further optimize this
design.
* In addition, the President announced that he will seek
increased international participation in the space station
program, and will implement major management changes at NASA
in order to achieve cost savings and increased efficiencies.
* Based on this decision, the White House will provide Congress
with a revised FY94 budget request for NASA that includes
approximately $1.85 billion for space station development
costs, and approximately $250 million for development of
science payloads and other costs associated with the Space
Station. The total FY94 request for the Space Station will
be $2.1 billion.
* The redesign will save $ 8 - 9 billion dollars through the
year 2000, and approximately $ 18 billion through the life of
the project.
* Dr. Gibbons will provide a letter of instruction to NASA
within the next several days to facilitate the implementation
of this decision.
* The United States will work closely with its international
partners on the Space Program to implement all aspects of
this decision.
###