Match the words and expressions from the text to the definitions.

 1. software                             a) ground facilities for airplane operation,

                                                    parking, maintenance

2. life support system             b) it allows the engineer to design something

                                                    without drawing, using the data bank

3. airdrome                             c) facilities for aerodynamic testing of vehicles

                                                    and their components

4. booster rocket                     d) information in the form of data and programs

5. paperless technology              e) it provides cosmonauts with air, food, water,

                                                    and comfortable environment

6. data bank                             f) it is an accelerating engine which lifts the

                                                   spacecraft into orbit

7. wind tunnel                        g) information which is used by several computer

                                                    users

 

Focus on Writing

1. Match the beginning and the end of the sentences:

1. The shuttle Buran was lifted …             a) to ensure the tiles fitting closely.  

2. Expendable space vehicles perform…  b) ballistic or sliding descent in the

                                                                     atmosphere.

3. The measurements of a real frame        c) onto a central block of carrier-

surface geometry were made…..              rocket Energia.

4. The main engine was placed….            d) into orbit by specially designed

                                                                      Energia booster rocket.

Imagine, that you were a journalist and an eye-witness of the first launch of Buran in 1988. Make up a short newspaper article describing this great event.  Don’t forget to mention:

- the purposes;

- the amount of payload;

- the main features of Buran;

- method of designing.

 

Reading 2

1. a) Read the advertisement below.

b) What kind of service do you think the agency provides? Imagine that you are interested in this information. Ask the manager of the agency as many questions as possible to get more data on the traveling and the spacecraft.

Now read the text and get some answers.

Kliper

A. For many years, Russian engineers pondered over possible configurations of a new spacecraft, which could replace the venerable but small Soyuz.  

B. The Kliper would be launched on the top of Onega booster - a heavily modified Soyuz rocket - with no payload fairing but with the emergency escape rocket attached to the nose section of the reentry capsule. The emergency escape system, resembling that of the Soyuz spacecraft, would be capable of pulling the crew capsule away from the launch vehicle at every stage of the launch and orbit insertion.

C. While in orbit, the Kliper is capable of delivering crew and cargo to the space station or carrying two pilots and four passengers, including tourists, on an autonomous flight. A special detachable habitation module partially borrowed from the Soyuz spacecraft would be mounted behind the reentry capsule, rather then in front of it, as in the Soyuz spacecraft. The habitation module contains docking system, toilet and other life-support systems.  In turn, the habitation module, will be surrounded by a service module, containing orbital maneuvering and attitude-control systems and power-supply systems with solar panels. The habitation module/service module combination would be jettisoned from the reentry capsule after the braking maneuver to return to Earth, as it now done onboard the Soyuz spacecraft.

D. The aerodynamic body of the Kliper arranging two vertical and one horizontal movable rudders on its tail would allow the vehicle to glide as far as 500 kilometers left and right from the ground track of its orbit, with g -loads not exceeding 2 and the skin temperature in the most critical area of the nose not exceeding 3,000K.

E. The spacecraft will feature combination of thermal protection systems borrowed from the Buran program and from the Soyuz spacecraft. Some sections of the thermal protection system, such as nose section would not be reusable.

F. The Kliper will land with the help of three main uncontrolled parachutes and several solid-propellant engines, which would be fired shortly before the touchdown. The engineers are still debating a choice between special landing legs and an inflatable cushioning device to soften the landing. The latter would probably enable the spacecraft to splashdown safely in the water.

G. There will be a winged version of the Kliper spacecraft. The new configuration would enable Kliper to increase range of its side maneuver from 500 to 2,000 kilometers and to terminate its flight at virtually any orbit with subsequent landing on a regular runway. However, an emergency escape during the launch accident would now require a controlled landing at the airport rather than a relatively simple descent under parachutes into a random location along the flight path.