Choose the best option for each of the following sentences. The text is not allowed to look at.

1. It is known that the Shuttle Buran was an aerodynamic copy of the Space Shuttle, internally it was …..

a) an exact copy of the Vostok space vehicle developed domestically.

b) all engineered and developed domestically.

c) an improved copy of the Space Shuttle.

2. The Shuttle Buran was lifted into orbit by …

a) high-power rocket engine.

b) a pair of reusable solid-fuel rocket boosters.

c) specially designed Energia booster rocket.

3. The Buran orbiter is able to put up ….

a) to 30 tons into space and to return up to 20 tons of payload to the Earth.

b) to 20 tons into space and to return up to 15 tons of payload to the Earth.

c) to 6.5 tons into space and to return up to 5.5 tons of payload to the Earth.

4. It was necessary to develop a principally new reusable thermal protection system because of …

a) severe weight restrictions of the Shuttle Buran.

b) the gliding descent from the orbit through dense atmosphere.

c) safety consideration.

5. The special software was developed …..

a) to carry out measurement, manufacturing and installation of thermal protection tiles.

b) to cut down expenses.

c) to simplify the assembly of thermal protection.

 

Choose the best alternative to fill the gaps in theses sentences.

1. The first and only orbital launch of the ____ Shuttle Buran was on 15 November 1988.

a) unmanned      b) manned    c) improved        

2. The shuttle orbited the Earth twice before returning, performing an impressive automated _________ on the shuttle runway at Baikonur Cosmodrome.

a) takeoff           b) manoeuvre c) landing

3. The ________ from the orbit through dense atmosphere forced the designers to develop a principally new reusable thermal protection system.

a) ballistic descent b) liftoff     c) parachute landing d) gliding descent

4. Special _____ was developed and as a result measurement, manufacturing and installation of tiles were carried out completely on paperless technology.

a) equipment   b) technology c) hardware           d) software 

5. It was impossible to measure a real frame surface geometry under each tile in more than 100 points _______.

a) by means of computer b) theoretically c) manually d) on paperless technology

6. The aerodynamic scheme was worked up during_____.

a) automated landing b) wind tunnel tests c) gliding descent d) designing

7. The high _____ of Buran is 6.5 against 5.5 for the Space Shuttle.

a) lift/drag ratio b) thrust/weight ratio c) aspect ratio d) pressure ratio

 

The text has twelve paragraphs A-L. Which paragraph mentions aerodynamic configuration of Buran? Find the supporting details that help to understand it.

Define the main idea of paragraph H. Highlight the topic words of the part.

Answer the following questions.

1. When did the Soviet reusable spacecraft program begin?

2. When did the first orbital launch of the Shuttle Buran take place?

3. How many tons can Buran orbiter put into space and return to the Earth?

4. How many crew members and passengers can be accommodated in the cabin?

5. What kinds of thermal protection have been developed for Buran?

6. What technology was used to measure a real frame surface geometry?

7. What aerodynamic scheme has been chosen for Buran?

8. Why was the flying prototype constructed?

9. Are Buran and the Space Shuttle Columbia absolutely similar?

10. What are the main differences between them?      

Make up a summary of the text.

Vocabulary Focus

Work in pairs. Give the definitions of the following words and expressions.

Similarity (B); booster rocket, life-support system, software, automated landing (C); orbit maintenance (D); parachute landing (F); paperless technology, data bank (H); double swept wing, wind tunnel (I).

2. a) In the text, find the words with the meaning opposite to these ones.

Cheap (A), difference (B), manned (C), climb (D), reusable, simple (F), rigid (G), automatically (H), subsonic (I), copy, inaccuracy (J), transverse (K).

b) Make up your own sentences with these words.

3. Choose the English equivalents in the text:

Конфигурация поверхности каркаса, ракетный ускоритель, керамическая термозащита, грузовой поток, модуль орбитальной станции, шаблон, потенциальная угроза, ракета-носитель, автоматическая посадка, посадка с парашютом, аэродинамическое качество, балансировочный закрылок, аэродинамическая труба, выводить на орбиту.