Launch to pave way for space station

 　　BEIJING, Sept. 21 (Xinhuanet) -- China will launch an unmanned module¹ next week, paving the way for a planned space station, a spokesman for the space program said on Tuesday.

　　Tiangong-1, or "Heavenly Palace 1", will blast off from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Gansu province between Sept 27 and 30, the spokesman said.

　　The 8.5-ton module, and the Long March II-F rocket that will carry it skyward, were positioned onto the launch pad on Tuesday, signaling that the project has entered the final preparation stage.

　　"Scientists will conduct final tests in the next few days before injecting propellants for the launch," Cui Jijun, director of the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, said.

　　The program spokesman said that Tiangong-1 will serve as "a target spacecraft" for rendezvous² and docking experiments.

　　It will also work as "a platform to test long-term unmanned and short-term manned operations", he said.

　　Technical and medical experiments will provide crucial data ahead of the building of the space station (scheduled for 2020).

　　Three rendezvous and docking experiments will be conducted.

　　An unmanned Shenzhou-VIII craft will be launched later this year to dock with Tiangong-1. In 2012, Shenzhou IX and Shenzhou X will blast off to complete at least one manned docking.

　　Jiao Weixin, a space scientist at Peking University, said that rendezvous and docking - vital maneuvers³ for manned programs - are hard to master.

　　"Rendezvous and docking are difficult because it is like asking two racing⁴ cars to keep a distance of 1 meter between them," he said.

　　The mission requires two craft, traveling at speeds of 28,000 km/h, to enter the same orbit and connect with precision, he said.

　　The China Manned Space Engineering Office rescheduled the launch of Tiangong-1 after the failed launch of an experimental orbiter last month.

　　The spokesman said that the carrier rocket to blast off with Tiangong-1 atop has been modified.

　　Only the United States and Russia have mastered rendezvous and docking technology, said Pang⁵ Zhihao, deputy editor-in-chief of the magazine Space International.

　　Spacecraft developed by Europe and Japan have utilized⁶ US and Russian technology to dock with the International Space Station, he added.

1 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。

2 rendezvous   

n.约会，约会地点，汇合点；vi.汇合，集合；vt.使汇合，使在汇合地点相遇

参考例句：

• She made the rendezvous with only minutes to spare.她还差几分钟时才来赴约。
• I have a rendezvous with Peter at a restaurant on the harbour.我和彼得在海港的一个餐馆有个约会。

3 maneuvers   

n.策略，谋略，花招( maneuver的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He suspected at once that she had been spying upon his maneuvers. 他立刻猜想到，她已经侦察到他的行动。 来自辞典例句
• Maneuvers in Guizhou occupied the Reds for four months. 贵州境内的作战占了红军四个月的时间。 来自辞典例句

4 racing   

n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的

参考例句：

• I was watching the racing on television last night.昨晚我在电视上看赛马。
• The two racing drivers fenced for a chance to gain the lead.两个赛车手伺机竞相领先。

5 pang   

n.剧痛，悲痛，苦闷

参考例句：

• She experienced a sharp pang of disappointment.她经历了失望的巨大痛苦。
• She was beginning to know the pang of disappointed love.她开始尝到了失恋的痛苦。

6 utilized   

v.利用，使用( utilize的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• In the19th century waterpower was widely utilized to generate electricity. 在19世纪人们大规模使用水力来发电。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The empty building can be utilized for city storage. 可以利用那栋空建筑物作城市的仓库。 来自《简明英汉词典》