Introduction to the International Space Station

The International Space Station (ISS) is a habitable artificial satellite in low Earth orbit, where astronauts conduct experiments to investigate how life might be moved off the planet. The station circles the planet 16 times a day and is home to 10 astronauts. Its success is attributed to major technological breakthroughs that enabled engineers to build bigger spaceships, with five ingenious leaps forward contributing to its growth into the world’s largest man-made object in the sky.

History and Development of the International Space Station

The story of the ISS’s development begins during the Cold War, with the Soviet Union’s attempt to build the world’s first space station after being beaten by America in the race to put a man on the moon in 1969. The ISS is a continually evolving project with 14 modules, including science laboratories and living quarters, weighing 400 tons and costing $100 billion, making it the most expensive construction project ever.

Challenges of Space Exploration

Scientists are unsure how the human body will cope in extreme space environments. To counteract this, they plan to launch a laboratory in space with a crew of three cosmonauts to spend 3 weeks in orbit. In space, there is no air resistance to slow down objects, but the vacuum is not completely empty, and even at high altitudes, air molecules can create drag, slowing down spacecraft. To maintain their orbit, spacecraft need to be periodically reboosted by firing rocket engines.

Technological Advancements

Chemists have demonstrated a controllable chemical reaction using hydrogen peroxide to generate thrust, releasing oxygen and water in the form of steam. This concept is applied to a rocket pack, allowing for a controlled burst of power to boost speed and change orbit. The Soviets used a similar system on their space station, enabling cosmonauts to circle the Earth for 23 days.

A demonstration of control moment gyroscopes shows how they steer the space station by exerting a force when their spinning wheels are adjusted, making constant tiny adjustments to keep the solar panels facing the sun, providing power for the crew’s experiments.

Space Station Skylab and Its Mission

NASA plans to launch a 100-ton space station called Skylab, where three astronauts will conduct experiments to investigate the effects of zero gravity on the human body. The Skylab Mission relies on monitoring astronauts’ vital signs from Earth, but communication is limited by radio waves that can only travel in straight lines.

International Cooperation and Space Exploration

The Soviet Union announces a joint effort with the USA to create a single space station, symbolizing the end of the Cold War and space race tensions. The plan involves launching a Soviet spaceship from Kazakhstan and a US Apollo spaceship, which will dock in orbit 220 km above the Earth, allowing American astronauts and Soviet cosmonauts to conduct the first international space mission.

A historic meeting sets the tone for future worldwide cooperation, marked by the space shuttle Atlantis approaching the International Space Station with a new module, highlighting advancements in space exploration and the development of a new docking system, as well as innovations in water recycling techniques.

Water Recycling and Its Importance

Astronauts’ wastewater is generated and collected in a chamber, including sweat and urine, to be recycled and reused on the space station. The recycling system recovers about 94% of the wastewater, with urine undergoing an initial distillation process to recover around 85% of its water content. Recycling water is crucial for future space missions, such as a 2-year return trip to Mars.

Future of Space Exploration

The Mere Space spacecraft will weigh around 130 tons, too heavy to be carried into space on a single rocket, so it will be sent up in six separate sections. Construction will be carried out by space-walking cosmonauts, a radical idea that involves cutting new ground. The challenges include working in a hostile environment with extreme temperatures, and space suits with liquid cooling garments will be used to regulate body temperature.

Designers have created a new space suit with built-in components, including a mirror, to improve functionality and assembly in space. The suit allows cosmonauts to build structures of various shapes and sizes with increased agility. Astronauts undergo intense training, including over 200 hours in a near weightless environment, to prepare for spacewalks and tasks like attaching a new module to the International Space Station.

Protection from Space Debris

The Space Station is at risk of being hit by over 100,000 pieces of discarded rockets and satellites, with even small debris traveling at orbital speed posing a significant threat to the station’s integrity and the lives of those on board. Engineers have discovered that two thin sheets of aluminum separated by a gap offer more protection against high-velocity particles than a single thick sheet. The gap allows the particle to fragment and slow down, forming a debris cloud that spreads out, reducing its impact.

Conclusion

The International Space Station serves as a stepping stone for humans to inhabit other worlds, being the ultimate spacecraft until a bigger one is built. Key technological advancements, such as water recycling, space suits, and protection from space debris, are crucial for future space missions. International cooperation and continuous innovation are essential for overcoming the challenges of space exploration and making human settlement of other planets a reality.

Key Vocabulary

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Vocabulary Quiz

1. What does the term “habitable artificial satellite” refer to in the context of the International Space Station?

A) A spaceship that can travel to other planets
B) A laboratory for conducting experiments in space
C) A man-made object in low Earth orbit where astronauts can live and work
D) A rocket used for launching spacecraft into orbit

2. What is the primary purpose of launching a laboratory in space with a crew of three cosmonauts?

A) To conduct experiments on the effects of zero gravity on the human body
B) To test the feasibility of a 2-year return trip to Mars
C) To investigate how life might be moved off the planet
D) To demonstrate a controllable chemical reaction using hydrogen peroxide

3. What is the function of control moment gyroscopes on the space station?

A) To generate thrust using hydrogen peroxide
B) To steer the space station by exerting a force when their spinning wheels are adjusted
C) To recycle wastewater and recover water content
D) To protect the station from space debris

4. Why is water recycling crucial for future space missions, such as a 2-year return trip to Mars?

A) Because it allows for the recovery of 94% of wastewater
B) Because it enables the space station to maintain its orbit without reboosting
C) Because it is essential for sustaining life for extended periods in space
D) Because it reduces the risk of being hit by space debris

5. What is the purpose of the gap between two thin sheets of aluminum in protecting the Space Station from space debris?

A) To increase the thickness of the protective layer
B) To reduce the weight of the protective material
C) To allow the particle to fragment and slow down, forming a debris cloud that spreads out
D) To improve the visibility of incoming debris

Answer Key:

1. C
2. A
3. B
4. C
5. C

Grammar Focus

Grammar Focus: The Use of the Present Simple and Present Continuous Tenses to Describe Scientific Facts and Ongoing Processes

Grammar Quiz:

1. The International Space Station ________ the planet 16 times a day.

• A) is circling
• B) circles
• C) will circle
• D) has circled

2. Astronauts ________ intense training to prepare for spacewalks.

• A) undergo
• B) will undergo
• C) are undergoing
• D) have undergone

3. The ISS ________ a continually evolving project with 14 modules.

• A) is
• B) was
• C) has been
• D) is being

4. Scientists ________ how the human body will cope in extreme space environments.

• A) are unsure
• B) were unsure
• C) have been unsure
• D) will be unsure

5. The space station’s solar panels ________ facing the sun to provide power for the crew’s experiments.

• A) are kept
• B) keep
• C) are being kept
• D) have been kept

Answer Key:

1. B) circles

2. A) undergo

3. A) is

4. A) are unsure

5. C) are being kept