2007年VOA标准英语-Russian Cosmonauts Target Kazakh City for Earth

By Valer Gergely
Kazakhstan
18 May 2007
 

Soyuz capsule re-enters Earth

A Russian cosmonaut and two American astronauts returned to Earth last month, landing in Central Kazakhstan aboard the Soyuz re-entry vehicle. VOA correspondent Valer Gergely visited the landing site to join the latest recovery mission of the Russian Federal Space Agency's Search and Recovery Unit. Jim Bertel narrates¹.

It seems a typical weekend in Zheskasgan. A concrete sign, advertising² the city's heavy industry, could as well be a "just married" sign, as young couples customarily gather here to celebrate their wedding day. In the town, folks are busy with their everyday lives - paying little attention to the sky.

Meanwhile 350 kilometers above Zheskasgan, the International Space Station crew completes its final check of the Soyuz spacecraft to ensure the safe return of flight engineer Mikhail Tyurin, science officer Michael Allegria and space tourist Charles Simonyi. After their farewell, the Soyuz undocks and slowly departs the ISS. 

Zheskasgan cannot conceal³ its connection to space. Street signs and murals saluting⁴ the first Russian cosmonaut are reminders⁵ that the region has been the official Soyuz vehicle-landing site since the 1960s. Citizens of the city take pride in the fact that their region is also a land of international cooperation.

On proud citizen says, "I am very glad because it is happening close to our city and we can talk freely to people from other countries."

Another commented, "We have to have a better understanding of each other, we have to broaden our horizon."

On the Soyuz all systems function well during the de-orbit burn and the separation of the command module⁶ containing the returning crew.

In Zheskasgan, when recovery mission leader Alexei Lukyanov receives the precise landing coordinates⁷ from the Russian Command Center, the air and space rescue operation team begins to deploy⁸ its specialized⁹ vehicles 150 kilometers from the city.

Ten helicopters from the Karaganda air base, 300 kilometers from the landing site, join the land-based operation.  Major Sergei Sergeyev says his team continuously checks the weather conditions and the area for a safe landing.

"In our team everyone has his own task, but we can replace each other. We are now at the exact calculated landing site. We capture the short- and ultra-shortwave radio signal of the Soyuz capsule and go to the landing site. It may land on the right or left because of the wind."

As it happened, the landing was delayed and moved to the south because of wet ground conditions due to melting snow on the Kazakh steppes. "We stay in permanent contact with the Flight Command Center in Moscow, the Navigation Center in Arkalyk and the Control Center in Zheskasgan."

Landing of space capsule

After the pilot chute, the main parachute opens to slow down the descent of the Soyuz. Before landing, retro rockets fire to soften¹⁰ the touchdown. The recovery team sets up a security perimeter¹¹ and then opens the hatch. With U.S. astronauts onboard, NASA officials observe the landing.

"The capsule often lands on its side, bumps a bit and if there is wind, the parachute may tend to drag it on its side," said NASA's Rob Navias.

He sends his report on the condition of the crew members via satellite phone to NASA headquarters, while the support team helps the crew exit the vehicle.

"The medical doctors confirmed that the astronauts are in excellent shape while they readapt to Earth gravity in the first few minutes in their reclining chairs."

The astronauts relax a few minutes before boarding helicopters to fly to Karaganda, where Mayor Islam Togaybayev welcomes the astronauts and presents them with the traditional Kazakh souvenirs and costumes.

Tyurin and Allegria feel it is beneficial to work with people from other countries as they bring fresh ideas from their fields of expertise¹². Tyurin says, "We have learned from each other. Our space program will benefit from this kind of cooperation." Allegria adds, "I don't want to compare my colleagues, they are different, but very good people, all of them have different qualities."

The United States has been involved in Soyuz landings for the past four years.

Navias remarks the operation went as planned. "The Russian Federal Space Agency has been magnificent. This is a textbook operation. The international cooperation is almost like a symphony. It's a magnificent demonstration¹³ of what nations with the will, the fortitude¹⁴, and the capability¹⁵ can do when they work together."

At the end of the day the crewmembers fly back to the cosmonaut-training complex in Star City, Russia, to reunite with family and friends. And the people of Zheskasgan look forward to the continuation of the space flights servicing the ISS.

1 narrates   

v.故事( narrate的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• It narrates the unconstitutional acts of James II. 它历数了詹姆斯二世的违法行为。 来自辞典例句
• Chapter three narrates the economy activity which Jew return the Occident. 第三章讲述了犹太人重返西欧后的经济活动。 来自互联网

2 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

3 conceal   

v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽

参考例句：

• He had to conceal his identity to escape the police.为了躲避警方，他只好隐瞒身份。
• He could hardly conceal his joy at his departure.他几乎掩饰不住临行时的喜悦。

4 saluting   

v.欢迎，致敬( salute的现在分词 )；赞扬，赞颂

参考例句：

• 'Thank you kindly, sir,' replied Long John, again saluting. “万分感谢，先生。”高个子约翰说着又行了个礼。 来自英汉文学 - 金银岛
• He approached the young woman and, without saluting, began at once to converse with her. 他走近那年青女郎，马上就和她攀谈起来了，连招呼都不打。 来自辞典例句

5 reminders   

n.令人回忆起…的东西( reminder的名词复数 )；提醒…的东西；（告知该做某事的）通知单；提示信

参考例句：

• The film evokes chilling reminders of the war. 这部电影使人们回忆起战争的可怕场景。
• The strike has delayed the mailing of tax reminders. 罢工耽搁了催税单的投寄。

6 module   

n.组件，模块，模件；(航天器的)舱

参考例句：

• The centre module displays traffic guidance information.中央模块显示交通引导信息。
• Two large tanks in the service module held liquid oxygen.服务舱的两个大气瓶中装有液态氧。

7 coordinates   

n.相配之衣物；坐标( coordinate的名词复数 )；（颜色协调的）配套服装；[复数]女套服；同等重要的人（或物）v.使协调，使调和( coordinate的第三人称单数 )；协调；协同；成为同等

参考例句：

• The town coordinates on this map are 695037. 该镇在这幅地图上的坐标是695037。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, headed by the Emergency Relief Coordinator, coordinates all UN emergency relief. 联合国人道主义事务协调厅在紧急救济协调员领导下，负责协调联合国的所有紧急救济工作。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 deploy   

v.（军）散开成战斗队形，布置，展开

参考例句：

• The infantry began to deploy at dawn.步兵黎明时开始进入战斗位置。
• The president said he had no intention of deploying ground troops.总统称并不打算部署地面部队。

9 specialized   

adj.专门的，专业化的

参考例句：

• There are many specialized agencies in the United Nations.联合国有许多专门机构。
• These tools are very specialized.这些是专用工具。

10 soften   

v.(使)变柔软；(使)变柔和

参考例句：

• Plastics will soften when exposed to heat.塑料适当加热就可以软化。
• This special cream will help to soften up our skin.这种特殊的护肤霜有助于使皮肤变得柔软。

11 perimeter   

n.周边，周长，周界

参考例句：

• The river marks the eastern perimeter of our land.这条河标示我们的土地东面的边界。
• Drinks in hands,they wandered around the perimeter of the ball field.他们手里拿着饮料在球场周围漫不经心地遛跶。

12 expertise   

n.专门知识(或技能等)，专长

参考例句：

• We were amazed at his expertise on the ski slopes.他斜坡滑雪的技能使我们赞叹不已。
• You really have the technical expertise in a new breakthrough.让你真正在专业技术上有一个全新的突破。

13 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

14 fortitude   

n.坚忍不拔；刚毅

参考例句：

• His dauntless fortitude makes him absolutely fearless.他不屈不挠的坚韧让他绝无恐惧。
• He bore the pain with great fortitude.他以极大的毅力忍受了痛苦。

15 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。