24 January 2003 00:00
CONCERNING PROSPECTS OF INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
2003-01-23-03
Russian President Vladimir Putin met with an eminent Russian scientist, Roald Sagdeyev. He was interested to know what the academician thought about the prospects of the International Space Station (Sagdeyev is known as one of the ISS initiators). At one time there had been certain problems with the station, including financial. The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) some time ago really experienced a shortage of funds, but now, according to Sagdeyev's information, this problem is solved. In addition, the academician said, on the station there were also some "political problems."
President Putin was interested in the academician's opinion on where the ISS is most useful - in the scientific-technical, economic or political sphere. Sagdeyev thinks that the ISS "carries with it a unifying factor." At the same time he suggested that we should not restrict ourselves to ISS-related collaboration but rather seek opportunities for cooperation in other fields. As one of such fields the academician mentioned the missile defense system being created by the United States.
President Putin, while not rejecting the possibility of joint work with the US on the creation of a missile defense system, emphasized that Russia has its own thoughts on that score, its own vision of how this work should proceed. The work should entirely be centralized and directed from a unified center lest "our own developments leave us and so we know about the works being conducted and can forecast them." The two countries' specialists are already in contact with each other, he added.
Touching on the problems of Russian science, the President stressed that it should confidently enter the world market, protecting its intellectual property. The protection of intellectual property should become a separate object of international cooperation, and the Government should help scientists in this.
Roald Sagdeyev upon graduation from Moscow State University worked at the Kurchatov Institute. Holds a doctor of physics and mathematics degree; a professor. Specializes in plasma physics and controlled thermonuclear fusion. A Maryland University (USA) professor, the director of the East-West Space Center. He is currently involved in Russian developments of new-generation satellites for space exploration using the Russian and American experience.
President Putin congratulated Sagdeyev on his 70th birthday and presented him with a gift. Taking part in the meeting was Roald Sagdeyev's wife, Susan Eisenhower, the 34th US President's granddaughter and the founder and director of the Eisenhower Institute, which is engaged in the study of sociopolitical problems of Russia and the CIS and in organizing Russian-American cooperation in questions of nuclear disarmament and the nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
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