The previous major antimissile test, in September, was a success.

The Pentagon has proposed an ambitious program to conduct antimissile tests in space, at sea, on aircraft and on land.

It might even make the Russians more willing to go along with the administration's plans to conduct antimissile tests.

Nuclear tests in general cost $10 million to $40 million, with antimissile tests thought to be some of the most expensive of all.

He is not scheduled to do so until after the Pentagon's next antimissile test in June.

Under the compromise now included in the legislation, money for the current fiscal year could be used only for antimissile tests consistent with the restrictive interpretation of the treaty.

Administration officials say that antimissile tests will conflict with the treaty within the next six months or so.

The Soviet Union has also proposed talks on what antimissile tests should be allowed under a new arms accord.

Most antimissile tests have failed to score intercepts.

It could monitor vast sweeps of space for objects and activity, including telltale debris from antimissile tests in space.