Text a History of space exploration in the 20th Century

Space exploration is the use of astronomyandspace technologyfor exploration ofouter space. The physicalexplorationof space can be conducted both byhuman spaceflightsand byrobotic spacecrafts. The physical space exploration era began in the second half of the 20^th century, on October 4, 1957 with “Sputnik 1”, the USSR's first artificial satellite. It was not only the first of the greatest achievements of the Soviet Union’s space program but the significant progress of mankind. The satellite “Sputnik 1” weighed only about 83 kilogram. It had two radio transmitters which emitted "beeps" that could be heard by radios around the globe. Analysis of the radio signals was very important. In the duration of radio beeps temperature and pressure data had to be encoded.

The Soviet space programachieved many of the first milestones in space exploration, including the first living being in orbit in 1957,the first photographs of the unseen far side of the Moon made in 1959, the first human spaceflightin 1961,the first woman in space in 1963, the first spacewalkin 1965, the first hard landing in 1959 and thefirst automatic soft landingon the surface of another celestial body in 1966, and the launch of the firstspace station in 1971.

The dog Laika became the first animal in orbit on November 3, 1957. On April 11, 2008, many years after that historic launching, a small monument in her honor had to be unveiled in Moscow.

One of the most famous and magnificent aspects of space exploration was the flight and successful landing of the first man in the space. The first human spaceflight was the flight of “Vostok 1” with Yuri Gagarin on April 12, 1961.The spacecraft completed one orbit around the Earth, lasting about 1 hour and 48 minutes. Gagarin's flight opened a new era in space exploration we know as human spaceflights.

Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman in space on June 16, 1963. She orbited the Earth 48 times aboard “Vostok 6” and spent in space three days.

Alexey Leonov entered the history as the first human who conducted a space walk on March 18, 1965. He was quite alone outside the spacecraft for 12 minutes and nine seconds.

On February 3, 1966 the Luna 9 spacecraft, as part of the Luna program, achieved the Moon and performed the first soft automatic landing on another celestial body. There was radio equipment, a program timing device, heat control systems, scientific apparatus, its own power sources, and a television system aboard the spacecraft. The photographs provided by “Luna 9” included a panoramic view of the lunar surface, nearby rocks and the view of the horizon 1.4 km away from the spacecraft.

“Salyut 1” was the first space station of any kind, launched on April 19, 1971. It was an artificial structure designed for a crew of some members to live and work in outer space for a period of time. It was the first experience that helped make possible and successful the designing, creation and exploitation of the International Space Station.

Задания к тексту А:

I. Прочитайте и переведите следующие выражения:

human spaceflights; robotic spacecrafts; the physical space exploration era; the USSR's first artificial satellite; the Soviet Union’s space program; radio transmitters; temperature and pressure data; the duration of radio beeps; the first living being; the first spacewalk; automatic hard or soft landing; another celestial body; a space probe; the unseen far side of the Moon; the Moon’s surface; the first artificial satellite of the Moon.

II. Найдите в предыдущем упражнении английские эквиваленты следующих русских выражений:

автоматическая жесткая или мягкая посадка; космическая программа Советского Союза; космический зонд; данные о температуре и давлении; полеты пилотируемых космических кораблей; поверхность Луны; эра физического исследования космоса; другое космическое тело; беспилотные космические корабли; невидимая дальняя сторона Луны; радиопередатчики; первый выход в открытый космос; длительность радиосигналов; первый искусственный спутник Луны; первый искусственный спутник СССР; первое живое существо.

III. Сделайте грамматический разбор предложений. К каждому предложению задайте не менее трех вопросов:

1. “Sputnik 1” had two radio transmitters which emitted "beeps" that could be heard by radios around the globe.

2. It was the first experience that helped make possible and successful the designing, creation and exploitation of the International Space Station.

IV. Прочитайте по английски следующие даты и скажите, какое событие произошло в тот день:

October 4, 1957; November 3, 1957; April 11, 2008; April 12, 1961; June 16, 1963; March 18, 1965; February 3, 1966; April 19, 1971.

V. Ответьте письменно на следующие вопросы:

1. What is space exploration?

2. How can the physical explorationof space be conducted?

3. On what day and with what did the physical space exploration era begin?

4. Why was analysis of the radio signals very important?

5. What were the Soviet’s first milestones in space exploration?

6. Who was the first living being in space and when it happened?

7. When did Russians unveil a small monument in Laika’s honor?

8. When was the first human spaceflight and who was the first cosmonaut?

9. How many days did Valentina Tereshkova spend in space?

10. How long was Alexey Leonov outside the spacecraft?

11. When did people get the first photographs from the lunar surface?

12. When did the Soviets launched the first space station of any kind?

VI. Переведите текст А письменно.