SCIENCE/TECHNOLOGY : McDonnell Douglas Eyeing Congressional Budget Cuts Closely

McDonnell Douglas Space Systems Co. in Huntington Beach is closely watching moves in Congress to cut NASA’s funding for the space station program, a company spokesman said.

Tom Williams, a McDonnell Douglas spokesman, said it is too early in the budget process to tell what effect the proposed cuts could have on the company, which employs nearly 1,300 workers on the space station program in Huntington Beach and 700 more in Houston.

Last week, the Senate approved $1.6 billion in space station funds for the current fiscal year that began Oct. 1, about $863 million less than President Bush requested. The House has approved $2.3 billion for the project, about $195 million less than the administration request.

As proposed by NASA, construction of the station would begin in 1992. The station would be assembled in space with parts transported aboard the space shuttle in a series of flights. Completion is scheduled for 1998.

McDonnell Douglas Space Systems, a subsidiary of St. Louis-based McDonnell Douglas Corp., is a prime contractor for a major portion of the $37-billion Space Station Freedom, which is expected to orbit Earth for 30 years. Williams said the company’s contracts are worth $2 billion.

“We have no immediate reaction” to the cuts in station funding, Williams said. “We’re hopeful the amount approved by the conference committee is closer to the House number.”

The Senate also voted to eliminate research funding in the current year for a proposed manned mission to Mars and for a proposed manned base on the moon.