VOICE ONE:
This is Shirley Griffith.
VOICE TWO:
And this is Steve Ember with the VOA Special English program,EXPLORATIONS. Our Explorations programs often tell about the launchof a NASA space shuttle from Florida’s Cape Kennedy. Today, we tellabout the job of making the Space Shuttle Atlantis ready for itsnext flight.
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VOICE ONE:
For many hundreds of years, the only object on Earth made byhumans that could be seen from space was the Great Wall of China.That is no longer true. The space shuttle landing area at CapeKennedy, Florida is so big that it too can be seen from space. Thelanding area is more than four-thousand-five-hundred meters long andninety meters wide.
VOICE TWO:
The men and women who work at the Kennedy Space Center of theAmerican space agency say each new flight of the space shuttlebegins as the shuttle safely returns to Earth. Preparations for thenext launch into space begin when the astronauts leave the hugevehicle.
The space shuttle is quickly linked to a large vehicle that pullsit into a building called the Orbiter Processing Facility. Once inthe building, workers begin to prepare the shuttle to return tospace.
VOICE ONE:
Work crews begin to immediately test, repair or replace each andevery piece of the shuttle’s equipment. Nothing is left to chance.Nothing is forgotten. Each system is studied to make sure it willwork correctly during the next flight. The body of the shuttle iscarefully examined for any damage. The inside of the shuttle iscleaned. And, workers recently began removing and replacing theengine on each shuttle with one that is better and safer.
NASA says a shuttle will remain in the Orbiter ProcessingFacility for two or three months before it is declared ready for itsnext flight. When the cleaning and examining are finished, theshuttle is carefully moved to the Vehicle Assembly Building.
VOICE TWO:
NASA says the Vehicle Assembly Building is the largest buildingin the world. It is one-hundred-sixty meters tall. The building sitson more than three hectares of land.
The Vehicle Assembly building is the first thing that people seewhen they visit Cape Kennedy. This huge building is where the spaceshuttle is prepared for launch.
VOICE ONE:
The Space Shuttle Atlantis is the next shuttle that will belaunched. The necessary work on it was just finished in the VehicleAssembly building. When Atlantis entered the building, each systemwas examined and final tests were completed. At the same time, twolong objects called solid fuel booster rockets were placed on adevice called a Mobile Launcher Platform.
Then a larger, orange colored liquid fuel tank was placed on theplatform. Work crews then used special equipment to pull Atlantis upinto the air so that its nose was pointing toward the top of thebuilding.
Very slowly the shuttle was lowered to within centimeters of thelarge fuel tank and the two long booster rockets. Then, these threeobjects were linked to the underside of Atlantis. When this work wascompleted, Atlantis looked like it does when it is ready for launch.
VOICE TWO:
While NASA crews were busy in the Vehicle Assembly Building, theteam of experts who control the launch of Atlantis gathered in theLaunch Control Center. These experts direct, control and observe allefforts to prepare the Atlantis for launch.
The Launch Control Center is crowded with computers. This centeris often seen on television. It is the control center where theLaunch Director gives the final commands that will send Atlantis upinto space.
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VOICE ONE:
In June, work on Atlantis was completed inside the huge VehicleAssembly Building. Atlantis was ready for its trip to the CapeKennedy launch area.
The Mobile Launch Platform was placed on a huge vehicle called aCrawler Transporter. It is the crawler’s job to safely move thespace shuttle to the launch area. These giant vehicles are abouthalf the size of a soccer football field. They move very slowly –only about one and a half kilometers an hour.
On June Twentieth, Atlantis was slowly moved out of the hugebuilding. It was taken to the launch area.
VOICE TWO:
The Crawler Transporters take a shuttle to one of two launchareas called pads. These two areas are Launch Pads Thirty-Nine-“A”and Thirty-Nine-“B.”
Both of these launch pads are the same. The Atlantis was taken toLaunch Pad Thirty-Nine-“B”. On each of the pads are two largestructures that reach high into the air. These are called the FixedService Structures. They are used by NASA crews to work on theshuttle.
Each structure has a long, moveable device that looks like a hugearm. When it is time for launch, the crew of Atlantis will enter thespace shuttle through this arm-like device.
VOICE ONE:
Another structure covers the space shuttle until it is ready forlaunch. It is called the Rotating Service Structure. It protects theshuttle from bad weather and permits workers to enter the cargo areaof the shuttle.
Atlantis will link with the International Space Station duringits next flight. It will carry a device called an airlock. Theairlock will permit crew members to leave the space station or tolink the station with other space vehicles. The airlock was placedin the cargo area of Atlantis while the Rotating Service Structuresurrounded it.
VOICE TWO:
As the date for the launch of the Atlantis gets closer, theLaunch Control Center begins a process called a “count down.” Mostcount-downs begin three days before the planned launch. This is alsocalled “L-Three.” A special clock begins moving backwards, showingforty-three hours to launch.
The other twenty-nine hours in that three-day period of time arecalled “Holds.” The countdown clock is stopped during “Holds.” Thesetime periods are used to slow the process and to observe, study anddecide again if everything is ready.
The experts in Launch Control may decide to delay the launch ifthey find a problem. This decision is usually made during a “Hold.”
For Atlantis, L-Three will begin at eight hours U-T-C on JulyNinth. The space shuttle is to be launched at eight-oh-four U-T-C onJuly Twelfth.
VOICE ONE:
The Atlantis astronauts have been in a special medical center inHouston, Texas. They are kept away from other people to make surethey do not become sick before the flight.
Early on “L-Three” day, the Atlantis astronauts will leaveHouston, Texas and fly to Cape Kennedy. At Cape Kennedy, they willagain be placed in a special medical center to prevent them fromcoming near anyone who may be sick.
VOICE TWO:
When the count down clock moves to launch minus two days, or”L-Two,” liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen will be placed intospecial tanks inside Atlantis. The Atlantis crew will use these twoextremely cold chemicals to produce electricity during the flightinto space.
Workers again will examine all of the Atlantis’ many systems.Other workers will use millions of liters of water to wash the areaaround the launch pad Thirty-Nine-“B”. They also will carefullyinspect the area for objects that may cause damage during thelaunch.
VOICE ONE:
On launch day, almost two-million liters of super-cold liquidhydrogen and liquid oxygen will be placed inside the orange-coloredtemporary fuel tank. More fuel will also be placed in the shuttle.All of this fuel will be used by the shuttle’s three main engines.
Three hours before launch, the astronauts will leave theirspecial medical center and go to the launch pad. They will ride anelevator up to the service arm and enter the crew area of Atlantis.There, they will begin a series of communications tests with LaunchControl at Cape Kennedy and with Mission Control in Houston.
When the clock reaches nine minutes before launch, the last”Hold” will be reached and the clock will stop. The Flight Directorwill ask the engineers, medical advisors and others experts atlaunch control if all is ready. There are so many experts it is tenminutes before they can all answer his question.
The Flight Director then asks the experts at LaunchPad-Thirty-Nine “B” if all is ready. If everything is normal, thecountdown is started again. As soon as it starts, the Launch Controlcomputers will begin launching the Atlantis.
VOICE TWO:
The computers on Atlantis will take control of the countdown whenthe clock reaches thirty-one seconds. Seconds later, the three mainengines of the Atlantis will start. Fire will appear at the base ofthe two solid fuel rockets. Very slowly and loudly, the Americanspace shuttle Atlantis will lift off Launch Pad-Thirty-Nine “B” forits flight into space.
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VOICE ONE:
This Special English program was written by Paul Thompson andproduced by Cynthia Kirk. Our studio engineer was Keith Holmes. Thisis Shirley Griffith.
VOICE TWO:
And this is Steve Ember. Join us again next week for anotherEXPLORATIONS program on the Voice of America.