Transcript of Heads of Agency ISS News Conference, NASA KSC

http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=19817
....MR. JHA: Thank you, Mr. Griffin.
Good afternoon. From the Canadian Space Agency point of view, the meeting was very fruitful and successful. We are very pleased that the new assembly sequence meets our needs and those of all other international partners.
We have agreed roughly the timelines for the launch of the remaining portions of the Canadian robotic systems, which is contributing to the construction and maintenance of the Space Station. We are very proud of our contribution. We are also looking forward to the resumption of the Shuttle flights and the upcoming flights of our Canadian astronauts.
We, as we did in the meeting, fully endorse the conclusions reached in this meeting and fully support the statements which have been released as joint statements.
Thank you.
DEAN COSTA (MODERATOR): Mr. Dordain?
MR. DORDAIN: Yes. Thank you.
So I understand that today is another important step towards our consolidated partnership of the International Space Station.
Last December in Europe, we have got renewed commitments from the ESA member states. We have got budgets. We have the willingness to cooperate among the partners, and as of today, we have a plan, a detailed plan which is realistic and which balances the technical and programmatic risks. So now we have -- just to deliver, we have now some technical milestones in front of us, and as far as ESA is concerned, our short-term technical milestones are, number one, to deliver the Columbus Laboratory to Kennedy Space Center end of May this year, and we have to launch the ATV cargo vehicle in May next year.
So we appreciate the results of this meeting. We appreciate the efforts which have been made by NASA to put back the Shuttle flight as well as we appreciate the Russian efforts to maintain the exploration of the International Space Station based on Soyuz in progress.
As you can see, the most important result of this International Space Station is partnership, and each time we meet, I think that we consolidated that partnership.
DR. TACHIKAWA: First of all, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to NASA for hosting this Heads of Agency meeting here.
It really was an important milestone for resumption of the International Space Station assembly and its eventual completion and stresses the international element launches.
We had heard for discussion today, and we endorsed our configuration and assembly sequence as well as plans to operate and utilize the International Space Station in international [inaudible].
I confirmed that we endorse the ISS assembly sequence in which the IP element launches were advanced and resulted in the minimum impact on the JEM, Japanese module, today. I expect the new assembly sequence be implemented as planned.
In Japan, JAXA has been steadily preparing for JEM operations and the utilization, and it is processing with HTV development.
Thank you very much.
MR. PERMINOV: [through interpreter] Thank you.
The Russian side today has fully supported the decisions made on the assembly sequence of the International Space Station and configuration.
We are very thankful, and we are welcoming the efforts of our U.S. colleagues on launching of the international elements to the international space station.
We have made an agreement with the U.S. side that the Russian science power platform will not be delivered by the U.S. side. However, the American side will make up for it by providing power to the Russian segment from the U.S. segment, starting with next year and after year 2015.
Today, we have announced a number of proposals, and those proposals were addressed to the NASA management and other partners. So those proposals have been well heard and well received.
In general, I estimate today's meeting as a very successful one because we have adopted the plan with very specific actions and very specific dates.
Thank you very much....


http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=19817
.....QUESTIONER: Todd Halvorson from Florida Today for Mike Griffin.
Mike, can you give us a sense of how -- what the spare situation will be on Station at the end of assembly, whether or not you will be able to leave gyroscopes and other critical hardware up there for the years beyond 2010?
DR. GRIFFIN: We are looking at the pre-positioning of spares, using whatever payload capability the Shuttle fleet will have over these assembly flights. We don't have final answers yet.
We are, of course, also, as you well know, looking at the creation of commercial logistics capability through the COTS Program, commercial orbital whatever services, what I keep calling "commercial cargo and crew," so that I don't have to remember an acronym.
Our international partners also are bringing to bear with HTV from JAXA and ATV from ESA -- are bringing to bear substantial resupply capability.
Our Russian partners have steadfastly sustained the Station while the Shuttle has been down. They too have capability. This truly is an international product led by the United States, but an international project that I think we can all be proud of, and we will find a way to make sure that the logistics and spares issues are dealt with appropriately....


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