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Three Deprived Ariane Gets an Edge

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Three Deprived Ariane Gets an Edge Nature Vol. 292 27 August 1981 789 Soviet academics Space economics cost grounds. NASA, not surprisingly, is not too happy with these developments. Although accepting Three deprived Ariane gets an edge what it sees as fair competition from the Three Soviet Jewish refusnik scientists Washington European space industry, some officials in have recently been deprived of their higher The fledgling European space industry the agency feel that the generous fmancing degrees, apparently as a result of their wish has scored its first success in the American terms being offered represent a government­ to emigrate to Israel. They are Aleksandr market. Southern Pacific Communica­ backed subsidy which they are unable to Paritskii, a Candidate of Technical tions (SPC), a San Francisco company, has provide. Sciences, formerly employed at the selected the European Space Agency's But the agency has enough problems of its Khar'kov Institute of Metrology on the Ariane rocket for launching its first own to worry about in getting the shuttle into design of high-precision ultrasonic ranging telecommunications satellites in preference full operation. There is now talk of projected devices; Valerii Soifer, from Moscow, a to the Delta launcher of the National cost over-runs in the shuttle programme next Candidate of Biology, specializing in plant Aeronautics and Space Administration year of up to $500 million, which could have a mutagenesis; and Mikhail Fuks­ (NASA). significant impact on several of NASA's Rabinovich of Moscow, a meteorologist. Two satellites will be launched for SPC activities. Paritskii and Soifer, who applied to go to in 1984, which will rent out transponders One way of absorbing some of these Israel in 1976 and 1977 respectively, were on the satellites to cable television costs, if the Administration does not come refused permission on the grounds of the companies. The deal is a boost for up with additional funds, would be to "secrecy" of their former employment. Arianespace, the French-based company make still further reductions in the initial The reason that Fuks-Rabinovich did not which will take over responsibility for the launch schedule, cuts which would again receive his visa is unknown. commercial operations of Ariane when the fall most heavily on commercial customers. Higher degrees- those of' 'Candidate'' test flights have been completed. Another would be to make deeper cuts in (roughly equivalent to a PhD) and SPC is the first US company to make a the space science programme, perhaps "Doctor" (which normally requires a firm agreement to use Ariane, although delaying or even cancelling the Galileo minimum of ten years further research) - according to Arianespace officials mission to Jupiter, scheduled for 1986. are not, in the Soviet Union, conferred by reservations have been made by Western With the White House talking of further individual universities, but are instead Union, RCA and Satellite Television Cor­ substantial reductions in public awarded by a special all-union body, the poration and preliminary negotiations expenditure next year, NASA's prospects Higher Attestation Commission ( Vysshaya have started with GTE. Intelsat, the inter­ look bleak. None of this augurs well for the Attestatsionnaya Komissiya; YAK). national telecommunications organization, International Solar Polar Mission (ISPM), Originally VAK came under the Ministry has signed up for Ariane launches for three of planned jointly with the European Space of Higher and Specialized Secondary its next series of satellites, due to be placed in Agency. Congress is still debating whether Education, but was transferred in 1974 to orbit next year. to replace funds for the spacecraft which the control of the Council of Ministers by a The major attraction seems to be the price. the United States is contributing to the two­ resolution of the Central Committee of the Arianespace is offering extremely favourable vehicle mission, which was axed by the Communist Party and the Council of terms for a launch, including a requirement Reagan Administration in March. Ministers of the Soviet Union. This that only 20 per cent of the launch price - Publicly NASA officials are continuing involved what the chairman of VAK, thought to be about $40 million for the SPC to express enthusiasm about maintaining Professor V.G. Kirillov-Ugryumov, des­ satellites - need be paid before the launch, the US involvement in the mission. But cribed as "qualitative changes". In par­ with the remainder spread over the following internal budget proposals sent up to NASA ticular, he said, the new regulations five years. administrator James Beggs for the next required postulants for a higher degree to Officials with the Grumman Corporation, year are said not to include any funds for "combine a profound professional know­ which is acting as the marketing agent for the ISPM spacecraft (nor for a mission to ledge with a mastery of Marxist-Leninist Arianespace, are also making the most of Halley's comet, now being pushed as a theory and with the convictions of an active continuing delays that are expected in the sample-return mission to distinguish it builder of communist society''. initial schedule for launches by NASA's from the European Space Agency's Giotto Jews who wish to emigrate to Israel space shuttle. An advertisement placed in the programme). This could change before the clearly do not show such "convictions" , US press shortly after the successful third final budget proposals are agreed to either but so far the Soviet establishment has been launch of Ariane from French Guiana in late by the NASA hierarchy or with the Office content to expel them from professional June lists among the advantages of conven­ of Management and Budget; but nobody is employment. The new regulations came tional launchers ''well known technology and being too optimistic. David Dickson into force on 1 January 1976, by which time firm dates for operational customers". •Judy Redfearn adds: Paritskii, Soifer and Fuks-Rabinovich had The deal with SPC reflects the growing Arianespace says that potential presumably all obtained their Candidates' problems that NASA faces in putting the customers have been heartened by the degrees. Until now there had been no sug­ space shuttle into operational service. success of the test flight from Kourou, gestion that the regulation should be made Already budget restrictions and various tech­ French Guiana, in June. Those already retroactive. nical difficulties have forced the agency to cut holding launch reservations are apparently From a practical point of view, the loss the number of flights planned in the first five beginning to negotiate term contracts. One of their Candidates' degrees should make years of operation from 48 to 34. Priority in official guesses that three of the 14 reser­ no difference to the three scientists. scheduling these early flights is being given to vations now on the books will be made firm Indeed, the change could even benefit the Department of Defense, requiring several by the end of December. The Ariane rocket them, since several refusnik scientists have commercial companies either to delay their will put a satellite into geostationary orbit been unable to keep menial jobs which they launches or seek more conventional launches. for between $27 and $28 million. Thor took to try and support themselves, finding Intelsat, which had initially planned to Delta launches now cost up to $7 million themselves sacked because they were launch its next series of satellites from the more. The attractions of the shuttle, "over-qualified", some facing charges of shuttle, chose Ariane rather than the Atlas originally estimated to cost between $15 "parasitism" (being without visible means Centaur launcher primarily because of cost. and $16 million per launch, have dimin­ of support). However, from the point of Now SPC, which is eager to tap the rapidly ished with the uncertainty about the view of Soviet academic life at large, their burgeoning field of cable television - and project and the threat that the cost will deprivation sets what could be a dangerous has already sold all the transponders on its increase by more than half in 1985 and precedent. VeraRich first satellite - has selected Ariane also on perhaps by three times that. 0 0028-{)836/ 81 / 3S0789-01 $01 .00 C 1981 Macmillan Journals Ltd .
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