U.S. and Russia expand joint space programs

U.S.-Russian cooperation in science and technology-related areas has been spurred by visits by several U.S. delegations to Russia during the past month. Space research and development are a prime focus. Plans for a wide range of joint space projects were boosted by a top-level U.S. delegation led by Daniel S. Goldin, head of the National Aeronautics & Space Administration, and Brian Dailey, executive secretary of the White House National Space Council, that visited Russia and Ukraine for a week in mid-July. The delegation also included assistant secretary of the Air Force Martin Faga, and officials from the National Security Council, State Department, and Central Intelligence Agency. This delegation was followed by a group of U.S. aerospace industry technical specialists, seeking to evaluate Russia's space technology and its potential for commercial use. The 11-day mission, organized and led by the U.S. Commerce Department, was the first U.S.-government sponsored space technology mission to Russia. Meanwh...