EXPLORATIONS - Life on the International Space Station

EXPLORATIONS
–
July 3, 2002: Life on the International Space Station

By Paul Thompson
VOICE ONE:
This is Mary Tillotson.
VOICE TWO:
And this is Steve Ember with the VOA Special English program EXPLORATIONS.
The Space Shuttle Endeavour returned to Earth last month. It carried the fourth crew to live and work on the

International Space Station. One member of the crew kept a written record of what it is like to live in space.
Today we tell what astronaut Daniel Bursch wrote.
((THEME)
)

VOICE ONE:
American astronaut Daniel Bursch returned to Earth June nineteenth after a total of one-hundred ninety-six days
in space. He and the other American crewmember Carl Waltz now hold the American record for the longest time
spent in space on one flight.

Astronaut Bursch was chosen to live on the space station crew because he had spent almost
three-thousand flight hours in more than thirty-five different aircraft. He had also flown
three times as a crewmember of the space shuttle. Before living on the space station, he
spent more than seven-hundred-forty hours in space.

VOICE TWO

Daniel Bursch is an officer in the United States Navy¹. He was born in the eastern state of
Pennsylvania in nineteen-fifty-seven. He is married and has four children.

Mister² Bursch is a graduate of the United States Naval³ Academy⁴. He has advanced education in engineering⁵
science. He was selected by NASA in January nineteen-ninety and became an astronaut in July, nineteen-ninetyone.

VOICE ONE:

The space shuttle Endeavor⁶ was launched⁸ into space December fifth, two -thousand one. It was carrying two
American astronauts and one Russian cosmonaut to the International Space Station. Daniel Bursch began writing
on his one -hundredth day in orbit⁹, March eighteenth. He wrote the diary in an effort to give others a feel for what
it is like to be a crewmember on the International Space Station.

Mister Bursch said the trip to the International Space Station was a little different experience for him. It was the
first time he had flown in the space shuttle as a passenger, not a member of the crew. Bob Doughty¹⁰ reads from
the diary of Daniel Bursch.

((MUSIC BRIDGE))

VOICE THREE:

The launch⁷ was the first time for me on the middeck, inside the space shuttle. There are no windows there and
you can not see outside. It surprised me when the shuttle began to roll as part of the launch. All space shuttles do
this. But I was used to being on the flight deck¹¹ where we can see outside through the forward and overhead¹²
windows. Up there you can see what is happening.


We soon were in orbit and linked with the International Space Station. Everyone became very busy. Things did
not slow down until the shuttle left for the return flight to Earth. There is a limited amount of time to do all of the
planned tasks. This caused a good deal of pressure as we worked hard to do all that was required.

The commander of our crew, the fourth crew to live and work on the International Space Station, is Russian
Cosmonaut Yury Onufrienko. When we arrived at the station, Yury already had spent more than one-hundredninety-
three days in space on the Russian Mir space station.

Yury told us that it would be a strange feeling when the shuttle returned to Earth and we three were the only ones
left. It was a little like a family party.very busy .and it suddenly came to an end.everyone left.

Our working days slowed a little, but we were still busy. We worked outside the space station two times in
January and we had to move cargo¹⁴ into the space station from the Russian cargo ship Progress.

The Christmas and New Year holidays were a nice break from our work. It was very hard for me to be away from
my family. We spent most of the holidays catching¹⁵ up on sleep, writing electronic mail and watching movies. We
also called friends and family on a special telephone linked to the Internet communications system. It was very
special to be able to call my family. It was a lot of fun to call someone and listen to their surprise when we said
we were calling from space.

((MUSIC BRIDGE))

VOICE TWO:

Daniel Bursch wrote in detail of the tasks he performed each day. He explained how they planned for future jobs
such as the arrival of the next space shuttle, or Russian cargo spacecraft. And, he told about the food and how
important it became.

VOICE THREE:

Our days are controlled by “Universal Time.
”
We start at six o ’clock each morning and our day ends at
twenty-one-thirty hours.

Sometimes we have to change our workday because of a coming event such as the shuttle or a Soyuz spacecraft
linking with our space station.

Each day we get several messages that we need to read that are part of a daily work plan. We read these messages
and print them with the aid of small computers. We read our mail, wash, eat breakfast, read the plan of our work
day. We also have a morning conference with our teams on the ground at Mission¹⁶ Control in Houston, Texas, the
Operations Control Center, in Huntsville, Alabama and Russian Mission Control in Moscow. Each control center
prepares questions for us about our work or sends us new tasks.

Our daily work includes safety inspections¹⁷ of all of our equipment, taking pictures inside and outside. We work
on science experiments, and inspect and repair any equipment that needs work.

We also have about two and one-half-hours of physical exercise every day. We usually have our last meal of the
day about seventeen hours-thirty.

We have a combination¹⁸ of Russian and American food. Yury told us our tastes would change in space. And, he
was right. Food that I thought was hot or spicy¹⁹.is no longer spicy. Also, some foods that I really liked on Earth
no longer appeal to me anymore. I still can’t wait to try some pizza when we return to Earth. We all like to see
the space shuttle arrive, or the Russian cargo ship because it means fresh fruit, different food and mail and gifts
from our family and friends.

((MUSIC BRIDGE))

VOICE ONE:

Members of the space station crew can fly from one part of their home to another because of the lack of gravity in
space. Astronaut Bursch liked to play a game. He would throw an object across the room and then try to fly in


exactly the way it did, like two aircraft flying together. However, he said he had to be careful because if you hit
something, it hurt! Here he explains how difficult living on the space station can be for extended²⁰ periods of time.

VOICE THREE:

One important part of space flight is the mental challenges that take place when you live with two other persons
in what is really a large can. Living with someone is very different than just working with them. And living and
working together with only two other people for several months can be difficult.

If you have a bad day, you can ’t just go for a walk. I have come to accept that all of us will have good days and
bad days. You have to quickly learn that you can not let small problems bother you. You can’t think about
small problems, you have to let them go. And soon you will realize how unimportant²¹ they are and will probably
laugh that they even bothered you in the first place.

I learned²² that it is important to let the others know when something bothers you. Like any other relationship, if
you let things go all the time they will collect inside and always come out at the wrong time. So, relations in
space are a balancing act the same as on Earth.

VOICE TWO:

Astronaut Bursch likes photography. He explained that he especially enjoyed taking pictures of Earth from the
space station. One morning he saw the highest mountain on Earth.something he would never forget.

VOICE THREE:

* UDSKLF
,PDJH

I happened to be up early. I looked at our world map and saw that we would be
passing near Mount¹³ Everest soon. I looked at our computer and saw our flight path
would be over this famous mountain. I looked out the window and there was Mount
Everest. It almost seemed to jump out at me. It was just after dawn there and the sun
was low in the Earth sky. This made the mountains look very beautiful. I began
taking photographs. It was just one of those sights that will be forever burned into
my brain.

((MUSIC BRIDGE)
)
VOICE ONE:
You can see Daniel Bursch’s beautiful photograph of Mount Everest if you have a computer that can link with

the Internet communications system.
The Web site address is www.voanews.com. Then look for Special English and the picture.
This Special English program was written by Paul Thompson and directed by Cynthia Kirk. The diary of Daniel

Bursch was read by Bob Doughty. This is Mary Tillotson.
VOICE TWO:
And this is Steve Ember. Join us again next week for another EXPLORATIONS program on the Voice of

America.

 

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1 navy   

n.海军，海军人员，海军军力，藏青色

参考例句：

• My brother is in the navy.我兄弟在海军服役。
• He has transferred from the army to the navy.他从陆军转到海军。

2 mister   

n.(略作Mr.全称很少用于书面)先生

参考例句：

• Mister Smith is my good friend.史密斯先生是我的好朋友。
• He styled himself " Mister Clean ".他自称是“清廉先生”。

3 naval   

adj.海军的，军舰的，船的

参考例句：

• He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
• The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。

4 academy   

n.(高等)专科院校；学术社团，协会，研究院

参考例句：

• This is an academy of music.这是一所音乐专科学院。
• I visited Chinese Academy of Sciences yesterday.我昨天去访问了中国科学院。

5 engineering   

n.工程，工程学，管理，操纵

参考例句：

• The science of engineering began as soon as man learned to use tools. 人类一学会使用工具,工程科学就开始了。
• It was the first great engineering works in the world. 这是世界上第一家大型的工程工厂。

6 endeavor   

vt.／n.努力，尽力，尝试

参考例句：

• Thereupon,we knew,our endeavor was valuable.于是，我们知道，我们的努力是有价值的。
• We endeavor to make our customers satisfied.我们力图使顾客都满意。

7 launch   

vt.发动，推出；发射；n.发射，下水，投产

参考例句：

• The makers are about to launch out a new product.制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。
• Would it be wise to launch into this rough sea?在这样汹涌的大海中游泳明智吗？

8 launched   

v.发射( launch的过去式和过去分词 )；[计算机]开始（应用程序）；发动；开展（活动、计划等）

参考例句：

• He launched a bitter diatribe against the younger generation. 他对年轻一代发起了猛烈的抨击。
• The product was launched amid much fanfare worldwide. 这个产品在世界各地隆重推出。

9 orbit   

n.轨道；vt.使沿轨道运行；使进入轨道运行；vi.沿轨道运行，环行

参考例句：

• The space rocket was launched and went into orbit.宇宙火箭发射后进入轨道。
• We can draw the earth's orbit round the sun.我们可以画出地球绕太阳运行的轨迹。

10 doughty   

adj.勇猛的，坚强的

参考例句：

• Most of successful men have the characteristics of contumacy and doughty.绝大多数成功人士都有共同的特质：脾气倔强，性格刚强。
• The doughty old man battled his illness with fierce determination.坚强的老人用巨大毅力与疾病作斗争。

11 deck   

n.甲板；公共汽车一层的车厢；纸牌；vt.装饰

参考例句：

• Let's have a walk round the deck.我们去甲板上散步吧。
• The sea wind swept over the deck.海风席卷过甲板。

12 overhead   

adj.在头顶上的，悬空的；n.间接开支

参考例句：

• A number of birds are circling overhead.很多鸟在头顶上空盘旋。
• Many stars overhead are invisible to the naked eye.天上的许多星星是肉眼看不到的。

13 mount   

n.山峰，乘用马，框，衬纸；vi.增长，骑上（马）；vt.提升，爬上，装备

参考例句：

• Their debts continued to mount up.他们的债务不断增加。
• She is the first woman who steps on the top of Mount Jolmo Lungma.她是第一个登上珠穆朗玛峰的女人。

14 cargo   

n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物

参考例句：

• The ship has a cargo of about 200 ton.这条船大约有200吨的货物。
• A lot of people discharged the cargo from a ship.许多人从船上卸下货物。

15 catching   

adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住

参考例句：

• There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
• Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。

16 mission   

n.使命，任务，天职；代表团，使团

参考例句：

• He was charged with an important mission.他受委托承担一项重要使命。
• I'll leave you to undertake an important mission.我要让你承担一项重要使命。

17 inspections   

n.检查( inspection的名词复数 )；检验；视察；检阅

参考例句：

• Regular inspections are carried out at the prison. 经常有人来视察这座监狱。
• Government inspections ensure a high degree of uniformity in the standard of service. 政府检查确保了在服务标准方面的高度一致。 来自《简明英汉词典》

18 combination   

n.组合，合并，联合；

参考例句：

• He carried on the business in combination with his friends.他与朋友们合伙做生意。
• The materials can be used singly or in combination.这些材料可以单独使用也可以混合用。

19 spicy   

adj.加香料的；辛辣的，有风味的

参考例句：

• The soup tasted mildly spicy.汤尝起来略有点辣。
• Very spicy food doesn't suit her stomach.太辣的东西她吃了胃不舒服。

20 extended   

adj.延伸的；伸展的；延长的；扩大的v.延伸(extend的过去式和过去分词)；伸展；延长

参考例句：

• an extended lunch hour 延长了的午餐时间
• France has greatly extended its influence in world affairs. 在世界事务中，法国的影响已大大地扩大了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

21 unimportant   

adj.不重要的，无意义的

参考例句：

• Let's not quarrel about such unimportant matters.我们不要为这些小事争吵了。
• Money seems unimportant when sets beside the joys of family life.与天伦之乐相比，金钱显得微不足道。

22 learned   

adj.有学问的，博学的；learn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He went into a rage when he learned about it.他听到这事后勃然大怒。
• In this little village,he passed for a learned man.在这个小村子里，他被视为有学问的人。