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THIRTY YEARS OF THE SPACE AGE.

In the thirty years since Yury Gagarin's flight Russian space science and engineering have come a long way. According to space experts in the US and Europe Russia takes the lead in almost all space exploration now. It is likely to become the world's dominant power in space by the 21-st century. Russia has launched more than 2,300 space vehicles designed to perform a variety of functions. Unmanned satellites have been of great significance in the exploration and peaceful use of outer space. They help us learn more about the relations between processes occurring on the sun and near the earth and study the structure of the upper atmosphere. These satellites are provided with scientific equipment for space navigation of civil aviation and ships, as well as exploration of the World Ocean, the earth's surface and its natural resources.

Russia is known to carry out many orbital manned flights involving over 62 cosmonauts, many of them having flown several times. It is well known that Russian cosmonauts hold the record for the longest time in space (L. Kizim has worked 375 days)and for continuous stay in space (V. Titov and M. Manarov - 365 days, i.e. a year). The knowledge of Russian doctors and researchers about the medical and psychological consequences of long-term space flight far exceeds that of American scientists.

Two permanent space stations, Salyut and a third generation station Mir, are now orbiting the earth. The creation of a new, more sophisticated, efficient space lab aboard the Mir station is a good example of the scientific and technological progress under way in Russia's space industry. New metal alloys, composite materials and more effective means of communication are in use. This space station is equipped with an astronomical observatory module named Kwant. It incorporates all the novelty that could be offered by designers and engineers. To keep productivity high Russian designers pay much attention to the space station livability. The interior of Mir has been painted in two colours to provide the crew with a sense of floor and ceiling. On Mir cosmonauts get two days off each week and have a special radio so that they can talk to their families and with any sportsman, scientist or celebrity they want.

With the twin Vega space probes being successfully launched in 1986, Russian scientists conducted close-range studies of Halley's comet and gathered impressive scientific data about Venus. Vega 1 and Vega 2 carrying more than 30 research instruments passed within 10,000 kilometers of the comet's heart, transmitted high-quality pictures to the Earth and revealed for the first time the dimensions and dynamics of its ten-mile-long nucleus. The relative speed of approaching the comet was equal to 78 km/sec. It should be pointed out that the study of Halley's comet was conducted on the basis of extensive cooperation of scientists. Scientists from nine countries, including the U.S, joined the Vega project. When the 170-million horse power carrier-rocket called "Energia" was successfully tested in 1987, Russia has gone far ahead of the United States in the space race. With the new Energia rocket it is possible to put into orbit a 100-ton payload (One must know that the first satellite carried 83,6 kg). That is enough to carry a shuttled e.a reusable craft) or to put into orbit components for a space station much larger than Mir which could be a platform for a manned flight to Mars. Russian experts believe "Energia" to be able to take explorers to the Moon or bring back to the Earth satellites that went out of operation. In principle, this makes it possible to assemble and build in orbit large complexes from separate units not tens of meters but kilometers across. Cosmonauts would live there permanently. And from these structures there may be flights to other planets.



In general, the creation of Mir station and Energia rocket is a new major advance in the development not only of Russian, but also world cosmonautics. Whole research laboratories and production shops equipped and prepared on earth by different countries might successfully work with Mir station.


Date: 2015-01-12; view: 1936


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IV. SPACE EXPLORATION. THE MARS PROGRAMME. | TIME TRAVEL AND NEW UNIVERSES.
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