Astronauts take out the trash
Astronauts on Sunday exchanged supplies for trash that has accumulated on the international space station since shuttles were grounded after the 2003 Columbia tragedy. They also prepared for a second spacewalk set for Monday.
Space shuttle Discovery, which docked at the orbiting outpost Thursday, became the first shuttle to return to orbit last week. Among the missions goals: Resupply the station and remove the mounds of trash that have accumulated in recent years.
It is kind of just like working in your closets and your garage, station flight director Mark Ferring said. Its a lot of work.
The astronauts are unloading 15 tons of cargo. They expect to return to Earth with 13 tons of trash and other items that are no longer needed on the station.
When the stations two-man crew awoke Sunday, they were told that their seven Discovery guests would remain at the station for an additional day.
Hopefully it is not going to be like the relatives who miss their flight and have to stay another day, Charles Hobaugh, who works in the stations mission control, told crew members by radio.
A ninth day at the station was approved late Saturday, days after NASA decided to ground future shuttle missions because an almost one-pound piece of foam broke free of Discoverys external fuel tank. The piece of foam missed Discovery, but was a haunting reminder of Columbia.
A 1.67 pound chunk of foam shed from Columbias external tank hit the shuttles left wing and caused a hole that allowed the searing gases of re-entry to melt the wing from the inside out. The shuttle disintegrated over Texas as it returned to Florida. All seven astronauts died.
NASA spent hundreds of millions of dollars over 2{ years redesigning the external tank, but said last week it did not solve the problem and more work is needed.
Bill Gerstenmaier, the stations program manager, said Discovery will leave the station in much better shape than when it arrived. Water will be left behind, as well as laptops, wash cloths, a printer, dry wipes, floppy disks, food and nitrogen.
We are going to be in very good shape through the end of the year, Gerstenmaier said.
Shuttles are needed for the supplying and continued construction of the station.
英语中各式各样的“假”
变着法子说“明白了吗”
有些英语,不能不懂装懂!
助你走遍美国的300句地道俚语
英语中“死”的委婉表达
[口语]另类“下午茶”说法
石头、剪刀、布
[口语]元宵节英语祝福语
别误会这些英文的意思(一)
万圣节英文短信
[口语]买火车票实用英语
学英文必知:中国人最易误解的45句话
劝慰失落朋友的十五句话
[口语]最容易让人误解的英语词语(第二波)
[口语]乞讨儿童 child beggar
[口语]“克扣工资”英文怎么说
10句地道英文口语让老外无话可说
日常英语口语:表达歉意的说法
[口语]在机场丢失行李怎么办
[口语]“怯场”是怎么回事
多种英语方式地道表达“快乐”
[口语]恋爱登记 relationship registration
[口语]大学毕业同学录毕业赠言集锦
[口语]形容开车十句话
商场超市常见英语标识
英语中18大激励人心的豪情壮语
地铁里的“不文明行为”
[口语]在外企“混”必用的口语
好马怎么才能吃到回头草?
亲属称呼英文表达完全汇总
不限 |
英语教案 |
英语课件 |
英语试题 |
不限 |
不限 |
上册 |
下册 |
不限 |