2019-2020年八年级英语Module 3 Section 1 Background Readings.doc

2019-2020年八年级英语Module 3 Section 1 Background Readings1. Chinas Astronautics As the fifth country to develop and launch an independent man-made satellite, the third to master satellite recovery technology, China is in the worlds front ranks in many important technological fields, including satellite recovery, the carrying of multiple satellites on one rocket, rocket technology, and the launch, test and control of static-orbit satellites. Great achievements have been made in remote-sensing satellites, munications satellites, and in manned space experiments. - Manned spacecraft. October 15, 2003 saw the successful launch of the first manned spacecraft Shenzhou V, developed independently by China, at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, and following four unmanned launches between November xx and December 2002. Shenzhou V sent Chinas first astronaut into space and returned successfully, making China the worlds third country to independently develop and deploy manned space flight technology. Shengzhou VI, carrying two astronauts, successfully acplished its space flight on October 12-17, 2005.- Man-made earth satellites. From the launch of its first man-made earth satellite Dongfanghong No. 1 in April 1970 to the end of 2000, China successfully launched 75 satellites, including 48 developed by China itself and 27 mercial satellites for foreign customers. Fifteen types of satellite were launched in the 10th Five-Year Plan period (2001-2005), including munications, navigation, meteorological, resource remote-sensing, and space survey satellites, representing half of all satellites launched in the past 30 years. - Carrier rockets. China has developed 12 models of the Long March carrier rocket series, and is able to launch low earth orbit, geostationary orbit, and sun-synchronous orbit satellites and spaceships. The successful launch rate is over 90 percent; between October 1996 and December 2004, Long March rockets made 83 launches. Chinas next step is to develop a new carrier rocket series. The Jiuquan, Xichang and Taiyuan satellite-launch centers are internationally recognized.2. Test-drive successful of new carrier rocket engine BEIJING, July 10 (Xinhua) - China has successfully test-driven an engine for its proposed new-generation carrier rocket, which will be used for future manned space and lunar exploration flights, space officials confirmed on Monday. A spokesperson for the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp told Xinhua that the testing was a plete success. All indices of the engine are in the normal range during the test-driving of a 120 ton liquid hydrogen and kerosene-fired engine, experts with the Aerospace Propulsion Academy of the corporation said. With a maximum propulsion of 120 tons, the engine will bethree times as powerful as the countrys existing LongMarch rocket carriers, experts said. The experts, who declined to be named, said the new rocket carrier will be non-toxic and pollution-free, and will enable China to put heavier satellites and moon exploration devices into orbit. The successful test-driving of the engine represents an important step in Chinas new-generation carrier rocket research and development program, said the spokesperson. Chinas mission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense announced earlier this year the central government will launch the new-generation carrier rocket development program. Long Lehao, chief engineer of the countrys powerful Long March carrier rocket C, said the new rocket development program is critical for Chinas future space programs, including a proposed manned mission to the Moon. Chinas existing launch vehicle is not powerful enough to send astronauts to the moon. The engine research and development program, if launched as planned, will help China catch up with developed nations in the launch vehicle field and improve its petitive edge in the international mercial launch market, said Long, who is a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. He said Europe, Japan and the United States are expected to provide a range of launch services soon with next generation launch vehicles that are pollution-free, user-friendly, powerful, highly-reliable and with a powerful launch capability. China has announced a project to launch a satellite next year to orbit the moon for about a year for 3D images of the lunar surface. The project, which has a budget of 1.4 billion yuan (170 million U.S. dollars), is part of a program which aims to eventually place an unmanned vehicle on the moon by xx. China successfully put astronaut Yang Liwei in space in 2003, being the third country after Russia and the United States capable of manned space flights independently.