The leaders of the five space agencies that are

International Partners in the International Space Station met

Friday in Tokyo and concluded work on the 2002 Program Action

Plan.

"This is a significant step forward in our objective to

develop a unique science and research laboratory for

breakthrough opportunities never before achieved. As we

transition from the engineering and construction phase of the

International Space Station to that of a prominent science

platform, the process the Partnership agreed to today will

help move us to that objective over the next 12 to 18

months," said NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe. "This is

truly a testimonial to the achievements that can be

accomplished through international cooperation," he added.

The Program Action Plan was adopted by the Partnership at the

Heads of Agency meeting held in Paris in June 2002. The

Program Action Plan provided the framework for the

Partnership's efforts, over the past six months, to develop

an option path to meet Station use and resource requirements

and to develop a proposed process for selecting a

configuration option beyond the accommodation of remaining

International Partner elements.

In a lengthy and complex series of discussions and

evaluations, the Partnership successfully implemented every

item of the Program Action Plan on schedule. As a result, the

Station Heads of Agency unanimously agreed to endorse an

option path that enables maximum Space Station usage during

the 2006-2007 timeframe. The plan calls for greater use of

Station research elements, and the Partners also agreed on a

process for selecting a Space Station configuration beyond

the accommodation of the remaining International Partner

elements. This process includes further technical and

programmatic assessment, cost estimation, and internal

budgetary reviews by each partner.

In accordance with the newly agreed "ISS Program Action Plan

for Selection of An ISS Configuration," the Heads of Agency

will reconvene in summer 2003 in Moscow to select a revised

Station configuration option. They will meet next winter in

Washington to agree on a Station configuration.

NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe chaired Friday's meeting with

Dr. Marc Garneau, President of the Canadian Space Agency;

Antonio Rodota, Director General of the European Space

Agency; Yuri Nikolayevich Koptev, General Director of the

Russian Aviation and Space Agency; and Shuichiro Yamanouchi,

President of the National Space Development Agency of Japan.

Yamanouchi served as the host of this Heads of Agency

Meeting.

ISS Heads of Agency Joint Statement

Space agency leaders from the United States, Europe, Canada,

Japan and Russia met in Tokyo, Japan, December 6, 2002, to

review and further promote International Space Station (ISS)

cooperation. The meeting participants reviewed in detail the

significant progress that has been made in the development

and deployment of the ISS elements and in the implementation

of the ISS Program Action Plan adopted at the last Heads of

Agency meeting in June 2002. This Plan provided the framework

for the Partnership's efforts over the last six months to

select an option path to meet the utilization and resource

requirements of the ISS.

At this meeting, the participants unanimously endorsed an

option path that enables maximized ISS utilization in the

2006/2007 timeframe through greater use of ISS research

elements. The implementation of an expanded scientific

program on ISS would be supported by phased growth of ISS

capabilities, significantly increased quantity of permanent

crew, with crew rescue initially provided by additional Soyuz

crew rescue vehicles and eventually by both Soyuz and Orbital

Space Plane. Additional Space Shuttle, and other vehicle

support would also enhance this unique on-orbit research

facility. The participants also agreed upon a process for

selecting an ISS configuration beyond the accommodation of

the remaining International Partner elements. This process

includes further technical and programmatic assessment, cost

estimation, and internal budgetary reviews by each partner.

It will lead to approval of a configuration option

recommendation in March 2003, the selection of a revised ISS

configuration option by June/July 2003, and agreement on a

configuration by December 2003.

The Partners noted with great enthusiasm the continuing

success of ISS assembly activities and confirmed that

development of the remaining ISS elements is proceeding as

planned. They look forward to successful accommodation of key

ISS partner elements by February 2004 that allows the

accommodation of remaining partner ISS utilization and

infrastructure elements. This will enable improved scientific

and technological capabilities in the 2006/2007 timeframe.

They also highlighted the third year of permanent human

presence and research on board the ISS and the recent

successful launch of the ISS Expedition Six crew. This crew

will concentrate on assembly tasks and the conduct of

essential scientific research on behalf of all of the ISS

Partners to improve life on Earth while exploring the

frontier of space. The Partners look forward to increasing

tangible benefits of this unprecedented international

cooperation as the Partnership proceeds with assembly, and

increased utilization of, this world-class research facility.

Kyle Herring/Debra Rahn

Headquarters, Washington December 6, 2002

(Phone: 202/358-1874/1638)