US Astronaut Leroy Chiao: "Make China Our New Partner in Space"

The Tiangong-1 is now undergoing its final preparations for its launch tonight from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Gansu.

Ahead of the historic launch, CRI secured an opportunity to talk to one of the few astronauts who has spent time living and working in space.

From Washington, CRI corespondent Wang Shanshan.

 
Leroy Chiao holds three distinctions, including the first and only Chinese American commander on the International Space Station, the first Chinese American to conduct space walk, and the first American to visit China's Astronaut Research and Training Center.

Chiao earned his PhD in Chemical Engineering in 1987, and after a short stint¹ as an engineer in the private sector², decided³ to join NASA.

A veteran of four space missions and six space walks, Chiao says working on the space station was a culmination⁴ of his dreams.

"The most rewarding part being up there was performing the science investigation⁵, doing experiments, because we were doing work that generally could not be done anywhere else."

And on the experimental front, Chiao is very familiar with the research that is done in space.

"One of the best experiments I did involved using ultrasound. What we were demonstrating was telemedicine. What we were able to do was to use the ultrasound machine, under the communication with the doctor on the ground, to produce diagnosed quality images of each other's internal organs. This is gonna be useful for long missions, and also has applications on the ground. "

Chiao left NASA in late 2005 after 15-years with NASA.

Still, he stays very closely connected with what's happening on the 'space front,' recently publishing an article for CNN online, titled "Make China Our New Space Partner."

"I personally think the right thing to do is to include China in ISS. We've shown through our partnership⁶ with Russia that it is a positive thing. I think it will be even more beneficial to bring China into the ISS and future space exploration programs."

Chiao points out that involving China in the ISS is more than a political issue.

With the recent failure of a Russian Soyuz rocket -- the same rockets that carry supplies to the International Space Station -- having China involved in International Space Station could be a life-line for the crews on-board the ISS.

"The Shenzhou could be another vehicle that could fly to ISS. I think it will be beneficial to both our programs."

And as for tonight's expected launch of the Tiangong-1.

"Tiangong-1 is important to China because this will enable China to develop the capability⁷ to rendezvous⁸ and dock. The technology I've seen is quite good. Really what China lacks is just experience, because China has only flown 3 space missions in 8 years. As China flies more and more missions, it will get that experience."

Leroy Chiao has also served on a White House panel on spaceflight, which has concluded that international cooperation in space has been one of the major successes of the International Space Station itself.

WSS, CRI news, Washington.

1 stint   

v.节省，限制，停止；n.舍不得化，节约，限制；连续不断的一段时间从事某件事

参考例句：

• He lavished money on his children without stint.他在孩子们身上花钱毫不吝惜。
• We hope that you will not stint your criticism.我们希望您不吝指教。

2 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

3 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

4 culmination   

n.顶点；最高潮

参考例句：

• The space race reached its culmination in the first moon walk.太空竞争以第一次在月球行走而达到顶峰。
• It may truly be regarded as the culmination of classical Greek geometry.这确实可以看成是古典希腊几何的登峰造级之作。

5 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

6 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

7 capability   

n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等

参考例句：

• She has the capability to become a very fine actress.她有潜力成为杰出演员。
• Organizing a whole department is beyond his capability.组织整个部门是他能力以外的事。

8 rendezvous   

n.约会，约会地点，汇合点；vi.汇合，集合；vt.使汇合，使在汇合地点相遇

参考例句：

• She made the rendezvous with only minutes to spare.她还差几分钟时才来赴约。
• I have a rendezvous with Peter at a restaurant on the harbour.我和彼得在海港的一个餐馆有个约会。