VOA标准英语2008年-China Leaves Footprints in Space

A Chinese astronaut has made the historic first step in outer space for his country. With the successful spacewalk, China has become the third country, after the United States and Russia, to do so. Stephanie Ho reports from Beijing.
　
In this video grab taken at the Beijing Space Command and Control Center Chinese astronaut Zhai Zhigang walks outside the orbit module¹ of the Shenzhou 7 spacecraft for a spacewalk, 27 Sep 2008

Cheering erupted in the control room when Chinese astronaut Zhai Zhigang opened the hatch of the Shenzhou 7 spacecraft and went outside.

His emergence² from the module was captured by video cameras mounted on the outside of the space ship and broadcast live to millions of Chinese viewers.

Zhai, who became China's first-ever spacewalker, waved to the camera at this historic moment.

Zhai says he sends greetings to the Chinese people and all the people in the world. Shortly afterwards, his teammate handed him a Chinese national flag, which he also waved for the camera.

Outside the craft, Zhai recovered a scientific experiment that official Chinese media said were solid lubricant samples. The ship also will release a satellite that will circle the orbiter and send back images to mission command.

For his 20 minute spacewalk, Zhai wore a Chinese-made Feitian suit, which is being highlighted as the first indigenous³ space suit.

It cost nearly $4.5 million, has 10 layers and weighs about 120 kilograms.

The Feitian is like a mini space ship. It provides pressurized atmosphere, oxygen and temperature control to keep astronauts alive in outer space, while still allowing them to carry out their tasks. The suit also protects wearers from radiation and small flying meteoroids.

One of the Shenzhou 7 astronauts, who did not actually exit the craft, wore a Russian-made Orlan space suit. Chinese authorities say Russian experts have been on hand to support the entire mission.

Shenzhou 7 launched Thursday night from the western province of Gansu, and is due to land in the Chinese region of Inner Mongolia Sunday.

Official Chinese media report the country's ultimate goal is to build a permanent space laboratory and a larger-scale space engineering system. The chief designer of the Shenzhou spacecraft system, Zhang Bainan, is quoted as saying China is planning to begin mass production of the spacecraft starting from the Shenzhou 8 mission.

 

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 emergence   

n.浮现，显现，出现，（植物）突出体

参考例句：

• The last decade saw the emergence of a dynamic economy.最近10年见证了经济增长的姿态。
• Language emerges and develops with the emergence and development of society.语言是随着社会的产生而产生，随着社会的发展而发展的。

3 indigenous   

adj.土产的，土生土长的，本地的

参考例句：

• Each country has its own indigenous cultural tradition.每个国家都有自己本土的文化传统。
• Indians were the indigenous inhabitants of America.印第安人是美洲的土著居民。