Political Quotes

“Here are some facts on the Space Station. Significant development progress has been made on the International Space Station. Seventy-five percent of the development milestones have been completed. The first two elements of the Space Station are ready and being prepared for launch. Over 400,000 pounds of flight hardware have been built. By the end of 1998, NASA and its international partners will have built over a half million pounds of flight hardware. And the first two elements of the Space Station will be in orbit. The return of U.S. astronaut Andy Thomas marks the successful conclusion of the Shuttle-Mir program. Ten rendezvous and nine docking missions, and over 950 days of U.S. astronaut experience aboard the Mir has given the United States invaluable experience in long-term space operations which has prepared NASA to more effectively conduct permanent operations aboard the International Space Station. Space shuttle crews assigned to the first three assembly flights of the International Space Station have already been selected and begun training. The Space Station assembly crews have already been selected. The first four crews to live and work aboard the Space Station have been selected and are actively training in Russia, the United States, Europe, and Canada.”