Reagan Orders 4th Shuttle : Takes NASA Out of Private Satellite Launches

President Reagan today gave NASA permission to build a new $2.8-billion space shuttle to replace the destroyed Challenger, and his spokesman said NASA will no longer launch commercial satellites.

The spokesman, Larry Speakes, said that in putting the National Aeronautics and Space Administration out of the commercial launch business, the government will encourage development of a private rocket industry.

Although a new shuttle could be flying as early as 1990, the new plan calls for the ship to join the fleet in 1991.

‘Greatest Tribute’

“The greatest tribute we can pay to those brave pathfinders who gave their lives on the Challenger is to move forward,” Reagan said in a statement read by Speakes.

“Without the fourth orbiter, NASA’s capabilities would be severely limited and long-term projects for the development of space would have to be either postponed or canceled,” the statement said.

The go-ahead for a fourth shuttle had been sought for months by NASA but was delayed by indecision on how to pay for it. Speakes said the funds would come from a fiscal 1987 budget amendment and savings from other areas of NASA and other government agencies.

Some presidential advisers had recommended that the funds for the new shuttle come out of existing NASA projects, but space agency Administrator James Fletcher had strongly disagreed.

Overrides Fletcher

In announcing that the government would be getting out of the commercial launch business, Reagan was following his Economic Policy Council’s recommendation and overriding Fletcher, who had said his agency’s credibility would be lost if commercial contracts were canceled.

“The President has decided that NASA will no longer be in the business of launching commercial satellites,” Speakes said. “We believe that the private sector is capable of launching commercial satellites, and is eager to do so.”

“NASA will keep America on the leading edge of change. The private sector will take over from there. Together, they will ensure the country has a balanced, safe and robust space program,” Reagan’s statement said.

The total cost of the new shuttle, $2.8 billion, takes into consideration the cost of spare parts, Speakes said.

The House space subcommittee acted on its own Thursday to start the authorization process for the new shuttle.

In amending its version of NASA’s 1987 budget to authorize a new shuttle, the panel said restoration of the agency’s space transportation capabilities “must be accomplished without de-emphasizing other space programs.”

Subcommittee Amendments

The $7.694-billion measure amended by the subcommittee will go before the full Science and Technology Committee next month.

The amendment said NASA should “promptly take those steps necessary to construct a fourth shuttle orbiter as a replacement for the orbiter Challenger using, to the maximum extent possible, existing structural spares previously authorized and funded.”

The amended House budget did not include a specific amount of money to pay for the new shuttle but authorized “such additional sums as are necessary to begin construction of the replacement orbiter.” The measure also said NASA should explore the availability of private financing for the shuttle.