美国国家公共电台 NPR--Empty Soyuz capsule will be sent to the space station to replace a damaged one

Empty Soyuz capsule will be sent to the space station to replace a damaged one

Transcript¹

NASA and Russia's space agency said Wednesday that they're planning to send up an uncrewed Soyuz spacecraft to the International Space Station to replace the one that sprung a leak in December.

DWANE BROWN, HOST:

Several people aboard the International Space Station learned yesterday that their stay is being extended by several months after their spacecraft was damaged in orbit. The Russian space agency said it plans to launch an uncrewed Soyuz spacecraft next month. That capsule will replace the one that flew two cosmonauts and a NASA astronaut to the station last September. Brendan Byrne of member station WMFE in Orlando has more.

BRENDAN BYRNE, BYLINE²: It's been four weeks since the cosmonauts and astronauts aboard the space station were stunned³ to look out the windows to see something leaking from a docked Soyuz spacecraft that flew three of them to the orbiting lab last year.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

ROB NAVIAS: We are still in concert with the Russian flight controllers outside of Moscow, evaluating a stream of particles that appears to be coming from the Soyuz MS-22.

BYRNE: That stream of particles turned out to be coolant. An investigation⁴ by the Russian space agency determined⁵ a meteoroid strike was to blame.

TERRY VIRTS: Just like if you're in a car and a rock pops up and hits your radiator⁶ fluid and it leaks out, you can drive the car for a little while, but you don't want to drive it for too long.

BYRNE: Retired⁷ NASA astronaut Terry Virts flew to the station in 2015 on a Soyuz capsule. He says the coolant is an important part of the vehicle.

VIRTS: In the same way, you can fly the Soyuz for a little while. But the computers and, most importantly, the people inside will start to overheat pretty quickly.

BYRNE: With no way to radiate heat, it would be an uncomfortable flight, with temperatures in the capsule expected around 100 degrees. And because of that, the leaky capsule isn't safe to transport crew back home in March as scheduled. Now it will return to Earth at some point empty. So Russia is sending a new Soyuz without a crew to the station next month.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

JOEL MONTALBANO: We're not calling it a rescue Soyuz.

BYRNE: NASA's Joel Montalbano says at no point was the crew in immediate⁸ danger. But capsules aren't just for transporting people to and from the station. They're lifeboats in case of an emergency, like a fire or chemical leak on the station. Astronauts can take refuge in the capsule. But should they need to evacuate⁹ the station altogether, Sergei Krikalev of the Russian space agency Roscosmos believes the Soyuz could still fly in an emergency.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

SERGEI KRIKALEV: Soyuz is not good for nominal¹⁰ re-entry. But in case of emergency, with extra risk, we are going to use the Soyuz at this point.

BYRNE: For that reason, the agencies are working with SpaceX to possibly use its docked Dragon capsule should there be a need to make an escape before the new spacecraft arrives. Because of the Soyuz swap¹¹, the current crew could extend its stay to September for a full year on the ISS.

For NPR News, I'm Brendan Byrne in Orlando.

(SOUNDBITE OF ZMEYEV AND SCREEN JAZZMASTER'S "AIRMODE")

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

3 stunned   

adj. 震惊的，惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• The fall stunned me for a moment. 那一下摔得我昏迷了片刻。
• The leaders of the Kopper Company were then stunned speechless. 科伯公司的领导们当时被惊得目瞪口呆。

4 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

5 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

6 radiator   

n.暖气片，散热器

参考例句：

• The two ends of the pipeline are connected with the radiator.管道的两端与暖气片相连接。
• Top up the radiator before making a long journey.在长途旅行前加满散热器。

7 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

8 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

9 evacuate   

v.遣送；搬空；抽出；排泄；大(小)便

参考例句：

• We must evacuate those soldiers at once!我们必须立即撤出这些士兵！
• They were planning to evacuate the seventy American officials still in the country.他们正计划转移仍滞留在该国的70名美国官员。

10 nominal   

adj.名义上的；(金额、租金)微不足道的

参考例句：

• The king was only the nominal head of the state. 国王只是这个国家名义上的元首。
• The charge of the box lunch was nominal.午餐盒饭收费很少。

11 swap   

n.交换；vt.交换，用...作交易

参考例句：

• I will swap you my bicycle for your radio.我想拿我的自行车换你的收音机。
• This comic was a swap that I got from Nick.这本漫画书是我从尼克那里换来的。