Step by Step2000 第三册unit1 World News Up in Space

Unit 1 World News Up in Space

Part I Warming up

1. Endeavor has docked with the ISS. What for?

To provide electricity for science experiments

When will the U.S. laboratory arrive?

Next month

2. What does ISS have now?

A living room and a command center

3. What has been declared by NASA?

Pathfinder's 30-day mission on Mars is a 100 percent success.

4. Who has given up its hope of reviving Pathfinder?

NASA

When did Pathfinder make its last transmission of scientific data from Mars?

At the end of September, 83 days after its landing

5. Why is Galileo heading for another pass by Jupiter's moon IO on Thursday?

To get a closer look at the most volcanic body in solar system

6. What is the daunting task for the crew of Atlantis?

To deliver NASA's $1.4 billion space lab Destiny to the International Space Station

7. What is the purpose of the experiments conducted by astronauts on Columbia?

To confirm a theory that particles in space tend to attract each other and form dust clouds

8. What is Endeavor preparing to do on Monday?

To return home at the Kennedy Space Center after completing repairs on the Hubble Telescope

9. Why has Columbia returned to Earth after an abbreviated stay in space?

Because of a mechanical problem

10. What is Discovery doing now? And its crew?

Discovery is playing chase with the Hubble Telescope now.

Its crew is setting up housekeeping and recovering from the effects of weightlessness.

Tapescript:

1. U.S. space shuttle Endeavor has docked with the International Space Station, bearing a gift of energy. The five-man shuttle team arrived to add a set of giant solar power panels to Unity to provide electricity for science experiments that will begin soon after the U.S. laboratory arrives next month.

2. The International Space Station finally has a living room and a command center. The Russian Zvezda module docked earlier today with the fledgling outpost, which is being assembled in space. After a checkout period, it will be ready for the first crew to live in later this year.

3. The U.S. Space Agency NASA has declared its Pathfinder spacecraft mission to Mars a 100 percent success. This week the Pathfinder completed its 30-day planned mission on Mars. A U.S. space official says this spacecraft has fulfilled all its objectives.

4. The United States Space Agency NASA says it's given up any real hope of reviving its space probe on Mars. The spacecraft Pathfinder made its last transmission of scientific data from the surface of Mars at the end of September, 83 days after landing.

5. The U. S. Galileo spacecraft is heading for another pass by Jupiter's fiery moon IO Thursday to get a closer look at the most volcanic body in our solar system. A pass just 600 kilometers away last month has provided a better understanding of just how active it is.

6. It could be a mission-impossible-type assignment for the crew of the space shuttle Atlantis. They've got the daunting task of delivering NASA's $1.4 billion space lab Destiny to the International Space Station. If they pull it off, the 15-ton lab will put NASA's flight controllers in charge. Until now Russian controllers have directed operations at the station.

7. Astronauts on the U. S. space shuttle Columbia have conducted experiments to confirm a theory that particles in space tend to attract each other and form dust clouds.

8. The U.S. space shuttle Endeavor is preparing to return home in triumph after completing repairs on the Hubble Telescope. The Endeavor's scheduled to land Monday at the Kennedy Space Center on Florida's Atlantic coast, returning to the site where the mission began eleven days ago.

9. The U.S. space shuttle Columbia has returned to Earth after an abbreviated stay in space because of a mechanical problem. The Space Agency ordered the shuttle back to Earth after one of the three power generators failed Sunday. The generators called "fuel cells" provide all of shuttle's electrical power, and NASA safety rules require the space ship to return to Earth if any fuel cell fails.

10. Discovery is playing chase with the Hubble Space Telescope right now. The shuttle launch was nearly perfect according to mission managers, and the crew of seven astronauts is setting up housekeeping and recovering from the effects of weightlessness.

Part II News reports

Event: NASA's 12-year program of Mars

--Starting time: 1996

--Finishing time: 2008

First installment:

n Names of spacecraft: the Mars Global Surveyor Orbiter / the Pathfinder Lander

Arrival time: 1997

Mission: To collect and analyze rocks

Second installment:

-- Names of spacecraft: the Polar Lander / the Mars Climate Orbiter

Launch time: December

Arrival time: Next December

Mission:

a. To inspect for subsurface water

b. To measure the distribution of water vapor, dust and condensates

Grand finale:

-- Launch time: 2005

-- Return time: 2008

-- Mission: To return soil and rock samples to Earth

Tapescript:

Of all the U.S. and Russian spacecraft that have traveled to Mars since the 1960s, the Polar Lander is to be the first to touch down near the planet's south pole. The Lander and a companion orbiting craft called the Mars Climate Orbiter, launched in December, are the second installment of a 12-year NASA program (began in 1996) to unlock the secrets of Earth's red neighbor.

The first installment the Mars Global Surveyor Orbiter and the Pathfinder Lander -- arrived in 1997, with Pathfinder's robotic rover collecting and analyzing rocks on a desert about half a world away from the polar landing site.

The Lander is to touch down just above the northern-most edge of the south polar ice cap, believed to be a mixture of water and carbon dioxide.

It will use retrorockets to slow its descent. Once on the ground it will employ a robotic arm resembling a child's toy construction shovel to dig in search of subsurface water. Together with the newest orbiter now on its way to Mars, the Lander will also measure the distribution of water vapor, dust and condensates in the Martian atmosphere.

While the Polar Lander descends next December, it is to release two speeding probes, each smaller than a basketball. These rugged instruments are to crash at about 640 kilometers per hour and bury themselves into the Martian surface about 100 kilometers away from the Lander's touch-down point. They, too, will be inspecting for subsurface water.

The grand finale of this series of Mars probes is tentatively set for launch in 2005. It would return soil and rock samples to Earth three years later.

Summary:

This news report tells us that an ailing observatory, the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory, has been forced to fall from its orbit and crash into a remote area in the Pacific Ocean to avoid deaths and injuries from the falling debris.

Answers to the questions:

1. 9 years

2. 16 metric tons

3. 6 tons

4. About 4,000 kilometers southeast of Hawaii

5. 4,100 kilometers long and 26 kilometers wide

6. Because one of its three stabilizing gyroscopes had failed in December

7. It changed astronomers' view of the heavens after showing that the entire universe is bathed in the invisible gamma rays.

Tapescript.

Space Agency NASA forced an ailing observatory to fall from orbit and crash into the Pacific Ocean on Sunday. NASA engineers picked a remote spot to avoid deaths and injuries from the falling debris.

NASA says the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory has made a fiery plunge through the atmosphere into an isolated area of the Pacific.

Most of the nine-year-old satellite was to have burned up in the dive, but about six tons of hot metal were expected to have showered onto an isolated area about four thousand kilometers southeast of Hawaii. NASA had estimated that the debris would scatter over a long, narrow path 41 hundred kilometers long and 26 kilometers wide.

The deliberate crash came after Goddard Space Flight Center technicians directed the observatory early Sunday to fire its thrusters twice to dive into the atmosphere.

NASA felt this was necessary because one of the Compton's three stabilizing gyroscopes had failed in December. The Space Agency decided to bring the 16-metric-ton satellite back now in a controlled manner to prevent possible further system failures from causing it to drop on a populated area. The Compton's path took it over many populated areas, including Mexico City, Bangkok, and Miami.

Compton exceeded its original five-year mission by four years, resulting in about two thousand scientific papers.

The observatory changed astronomers' view of the heavens after showing that the entire universe is bathed in the invisible gamma rays, the highest energy form of light. It discovered hundreds of previously unknown sources of gamma rays, some streaming from black holes, exploding stars, and the sun.

Questions:

1. How old is the Compton?

2. How heavy is the Compton?

3. How many tons of hot metal were expected to plunge into the Pacific?

4. What is the place that has been chosen for the crash of the Compton?

5. How big is the path that the debris of the Compton would scatter over?

6. Why is it necessary to force the Compton to fall from its orbit?

7. What's the significance of the Compton?

C.

Summary:

This news report tells us that organic molecules have been detected on the moons of the planet Jupiter and some form of life might have evolved there.

Moons of Jupiter Findings

Ganymede

Wrinkled surface pockmarked with impacts from asteroids and comets

Ganymede & Callisto

--Chemical signals showing there are organic molecules containing carbon and nitrogen

-- Evidence of water ice

Europa Deep oceans

Tapescript.

Astronomers in the United States say they have detected organic molecules on the moons of the planet Jupiter which could indicate the conditions are right there for some form of life to have evolved. After studying the latest findings sent back by the space probe Galileo, the scientists say they have found chemical signals showing that there are organic molecules on the moons containing carbon and nitrogen.

For the past 15 months, the Galileo spacecraft has been orbiting Jupiter studying four of its moons. Photographs of one of them, Ganymede, shows a wrinkled surface pockmarked with impacts from asteroids and comets. But now both on Ganymede and the second moon, Callisto, scientists have detected chemical signals showing there are organic molecules there containing carbon and nitrogen, essential ingredients for life. There is also evidence of water ice there. And on the third moon, Europa, there are deep oceans. There are other possible explanations for the presence of organic molecules on Jupiter's moons. Violent thunderstorms, for example, may produce them. But after the discovery of possible micro fossils on Mars last year, the new evidence raises the stakes. Dr Simon Milton from Cambridge University was at the meeting in America where the results were announced.

"Almost wherever we look in the solar system today with our spacecraft, it's almost like going and looking at different restaurants. It seems that there are many places where there is interesting kind of organic soup on the menu, which could have the right conditions for pre-biology, the beginnings of life, or even the existence of life."

Galileo took six years to reach Jupiter and practically broke down on the way. But even though it's crippled, its results have been better than scientists have dared to hope.

Part III China' s space' and aeronautics industry

Summary:

This news report is about the safe and accurate return of the unmanned spacecraft after completing its first test flight.

Answer the questions:

1. According to President Jiang, what is the significance of the success of this experimental flight?

a. A milestone in China's space and aeronautic development

b. The technological breakthrough of manned space flights

c. An inspiration for the Chinese people

2. What did President Jiang call on scientists and engineers to do?

a. To fully study and analyze the experimental results

b. To map out a development plan to expand the options for China's peaceful use of space

c. To' improve the level of China's space and aeronautics industry

3. According to Xu Fuxiang, what is the significance of this successful unmanned flight?

a. Proving that the level of China's space and aeronautics industry is among the most advanced in the world

b. Inspiring more young Chinese scientists to work in the industry

Tapescript:

In our top story today, President Jiang Zemin, Vice President Hu Jintao, and other top leaders, this afternoon went to Beijing's space center to see the module of the returned unmanned spacecraft which completed its first test flight recently. A ceremony was held this morning, to celebrate the opening of the module. It was transported back to Beijing from Inner Mongolia yesterday.

President Jiang Zemin was briefed on the experimental process of the flight of the spacecraft. He said he's satisfied with the result of the experimental flight. Jiang Zemin pointed out that the success of the experimental flight is a milestone in China's space and aeronautic development and has special significance in the technological breakthrough of manned space flights. He said it is also an inspiration for all Chinese people.

The President called on scientists and engineers to fully study and analyze the experimental results so as to map out a development plan to expand the options for China's peaceful use of space.

Earlier in the day, officials from China's space and aeronautics industry, along with researchers and manufacturers of the spacecraft, held a ceremony to mark the safe return of the spacecraft and opened its module. Though the module did not carry any astronauts, it did have a payload. The staff took out national flags, the flags of the Macau Special Administrative Region, and a banner with all the signatures of the scientists and engineers who participated in the construction of the spacecraft. The items will be presented as gifts by the staff of the space and aeronautics industry.

The spacecraft voyage is successful and the module returns accurately and safely. However, we shall conduct more studies on concrete technical data such as temperature and humidity recorded by the module. It will provide us with more data to manufacture the manned spacecraft.

Xu Fuxiang, the President of China's Space Technological Research Institute, said that the successful flight of the unmanned spacecraft proves that the level of China's space and aeronautics industry is among the most advanced in the world. It will inspire more young Chinese scientists to work in the industry.

B.

Summary:

This news report is about China's launch of the second unmanned experimental spacecraft "Shenzhou H" Answers to the questions:

Answers to the questions

1. In the early hours of Wednesday morning / A rocket center in Gansu Province

2. A few days later / Inner Mongolia

3. To launch a space station / To put astronauts on the moon

4. November 1999

5. 14 times

6. 21 hours

7. Inner Mongolia

8. A few days

9. 1992

Tapescript:

China says it's successfully put a second unmanned spacecraft into orbit. It's expected to re-enter the earth's atmosphere over Inner Mongolia in a few days' time. The launch is part of ambitious, long-term plans by the Chinese authorities which ultimately include hopes of building a space station.

The official Chinese news agency said the country's second unmanned experimental spacecraft, "Shenzhou II ," was successfully launched in the early hours of Wednesday morning from a rocket center in Gansu Province in northwest China. It's part of a series of tests the Chinese are carrying out before pushing ahead with a manned space mission sometime in the future. The first test flight to the unmanned module took place in November 1999, when it orbited the earth 14 times before finally landing in Inner Mongolia, 21 hours later. The Chinese news agency says this mission will last for a few days. And several technical improvements have been made to the craft. China began its manned space program in 1992, and officials have expressed the hope that one day they'll ultimately launch a space station and put astronauts on the moon.

Questions:

1. When and where was Shenzhou II launched?

2. When and where will Shenzhou Il re-enter the earth's atmosphere?

3. What is China's long-term ambition'?

4. When did the first test flight to the unmanned module take place?

5. How many times did it orbit the earth?

6. How many hours did it stay in the orbit?

7. Where did it land?

8. How long will Shenzhou Il's mission last?

9. When did China begin its manned space program?

Part IV Mir Russia's space glory

Mir Facts

Length of service: 15 years

Built by: the Soviet Union, now Russia

Cost: $4.2 billion (for building and maintaining)

Time for building: 10 years (1986 -- 1996)

Weight: 135 tons Volume: 9,900 cubic feet

Size: 63 feet wide and 85 feet long

Visits to Mir by: 104 cosmonauts, astronauts, and other visitors

Flights made to Mir: 46

Longest single stay in orbit: Cosmonaut Valery Polyakov, 438 days

Longest total for human stay in space: Cosmonaut Sergei Avdeyev,

totaled 747 days, three separate missions

Mir back to Earth: Mar. 23rd, 2001

Tapescript:

Mir means "peace" in Russian. The station had a core block of living quarters and six docking ports for supply ships.

Mir was built by the Soviet Union, which is now Russia. It cost $4.2 billion to build and maintain it. Scientists spent ten years building it, from 1986 to 1996. It weighs 135 tons and has a volume of 9,900 cubic feet. It is 63 feet wide and 85 feet long. Mir hosted 104 cosmonauts, astronauts, and visitors. Forty-six flights were made to Mir. Cosmonaut Valery Polyakov holds the record for the longest stay in orbit, which is 438 days. And cosmonaut Sergei Avdeyev totaled 747 days between his three separate missions to Mir, which is the longest total for any human staying in space.

The Mir Space Station has been sailing through space for 15 years. But Mir doesn't work very well any longer, and its orbit is failing. It has been replaced by the new International Space Station, where the U. S. A., Russia and many other countries work together. So Russia is going to bring Mir down into the ocean. They will be careful that none of Mir's pieces hit places where people live.

This event will be big news --as it should be! Since the Russians began building Mir in 1986, it has survived a fire, collisions with other spacecraft, and even attacks on its wiring by microbes that ate metal and glass! We have learned a lot from Mir about how to live and work in space.

The Russian Space Agency guided Mir back to Earth on March 23rd. Fragments of the huge spacecraft splashed down in the South Pacific ocean just as ground controllers had planned. It was a flawless re-entry. No one was hurt. Mir was truly a remarkable achievement of human ingenuity, breaking uncounted records for human space-flight. The Mir is gone but will never be forgotten.

1. Why is Sergei Avdeyev regarded as the world's most traveled man?

a. Spent longer than anyone else on Mir

b. Spent 380 days in space during his third visit

c. Orbited the earth 11,968 times

2. How did the cosmonauts make Mir a cozy home?

a. With things the cosmonauts brought themselves

b. With what the cargo ship delivered

c. With things inherited from the previous space station

3. What are some of the things that the astronauts on Mir once had or used?

a. Photos

b. Good-luck charms

c. Calendars

d. Music

e. Library of 400 books: classic literature technical / reference / dictionary

f. Christmas tree

g. Decorations

h. Art gallery: 15 paintings

Tapescript:

This week the Russian Space Agency said that they will let Mir drop into the vast atmosphere to burn up. And if any of the 137-ton (sic) craft remains after that, the bits will drop into the Pacific Ocean. Well, that's the theory. Mir became a symbol of Russia's space glory and the most visited place in space with more than 70 astronauts from many countries making the journey from Earth into orbit. Sergei Avdeyev, a flight engineer, spent longer than anyone else up there. On his third and final visit, he spent a marathon 380 days in space. In total, he orbited the earth 11,968 times, and is beyond doubt the world's most traveled man.

"By the time I first flew to Mir in 1992, people were already living there. And when we arrived, we were met and greeted by the other astronauts. We knew the people on board already though, because we trained together or just because they worked in the same place as us. And so we knew who's going to meet us. But then again, each time it was a new experience, a new team, and therefore a new atmosphere on the station. And despite the facts that we trained for months before launch, it's very hard to imitate the interior of the station in simulation exercises. We never really understood what it was actually like or what the cosmonauts did there to make it a cozy home.

"I mean of course it looked well-lived-in. Apart from the things the cosmonauts brought themselves, and what the cargo ship delivered, we also inherited quite a lot of things from the previous space station. There were some restrictions on the amount of stuff we could take up with us for personal use. We were allowed a kilo and a half personal belongings but that's it. This could be anything you like, books, photos, good-luck charms, anything. But over time, we managed to add to this. Firstly because the station has been in orbit for a long time, and most of the things people brought stayed up there. And secondly, cargo ships arrived regularly, carrying parcels from Earth with books, calendars, music. And we had quite a large library as well. Four hundred books ranging from classic literature to technical and reference books. And when the foreigners started to fly with us, we got dictionaries, Russian-English, German-Russian, and so on.

"Some of us spent half a year there at a time, and of course it became like our home, a place where you spent a significant part of your life. During my second and third trips, there were things there which reminded me of the previous trips. For instance, I celebrated New Year there three times! I even knew where the Christmas tree and the decorations were kept.

"By my second flight, we had a joint program with the American shuttle, which brought a new module to the station, the docking sector. It was brand-new when we received it and completely empty. So we decided to use it as a kind of art gallery. The European Space Agency had organized a competition among European artists for their work to be exhibited in space. They sent us 15 paintings, and we put them on the walls and ceiling. And when we have some time off, we love to go..."