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VOICE ONE:
This is Phoebe Zimmerman.
VOICE TWO:
And this is Steve Ember with theVOA Special English program EXPLORATIONS. On our program today, wetell about the American space agency’s plans to help young studentslearn about science and mathematics. We tell about a young femalescientist who works with the first living organisms to enter space.We report about a human-like mechanical device that may soon work inspace. But first, we begin with a report about the launch of thesecond of two Mars exploration vehicles.
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VOICE ONE:
The American space agency, NASA, launched its second MarsExploration Rover vehicle last Monday night from Cape Canaveral AirForce Station in Florida. The spacecraft separated successfully fromits rocket eighty-three minutes later, after it had flown out ofEarth orbit. It is now on a path to Mars. The name of thisexploration vehicle is “Opportunity.” The first exploration vehicleis called “Spirit.” It has traveled more than eighty-millionkilometers since its launch June tenth.
The launch of Opportunity came after two weeks of delays andpostponements caused by bad weather and technical problems.
VOICE TWO:
NASA has chosen two scientifically interesting landing areas forthe Spirit and Opportunity rovers to explore on the surface of Mars.Opportunity is to arrive at the area on Mars called Meridiani Planumon January twenty-fifth, two-thousand-four. The landing area showsevidence of minerals that usually form in liquid water.
This is close to the Martian equator and halfway around theplanet from the landing area for the Spirit rover. Spirit isexpected to land in an area on Mars called the Gusev Crater threeweeks before Opportunity. This is an area that may have once been alake. It is fifteen degrees south of Mars’ equator.
Each Mars Exploration Rover will examine its landing area forevidence of past liquid water activity. Each will also look for pastenvironmental conditions that could have supported life. NASAofficials say the two areas are very different and will provide twokinds of evidence about liquid water in the history of Mars.
VOICE ONE:
Pete Theisinger (TIE-sing-er) is the project manager for theOpportunity exploration rover vehicle. After its launch he said: “Amajor step is behind us. There are still very difficult parts ofthis flight ahead of us, but we have two spacecraft on the way toMars, and that is wonderful.”
VOICE TWO:
Astronauts at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas havespent much of the summer testing mechanical machines that aresimilar to humans. Machines such as these are usually called robots.Because they will one day work in space, NASA has named themRobonauts. The Robonauts look something like humans. Each has ahead, body, two arms and two hands. The Robonauts have been designedto work in space or on other planets as members of a team withliving astronauts.
Robonauts are controlled by an astronaut inside the space craftor by a person on Earth who uses radio signals to make the Robonautperform its work.
VOICE ONE:
Robert Ambrose is the manager of the Robonaut project. He saystwo astronauts usually work together when they are outside aspacecraft. He says if the same two astronauts each work with aRobonaut controlled by another astronaut, they can do almost twotimes the amount of work. Mister Ambrose says each astronaut and aRobonaut would be a team. During the summer tests, NASA AstronautNancy Currie was the team leader of several Robonauts.
Mizz Currie took part in a test to build a large structure madeof aluminum. Mizz Currie and her Robonaut helpers built thestructure several times. It took less time to build each time.
When the job was complete, the team placed electric wires insidethe structure. The Robonauts took the wire out of its package andplaced it correctly in the structure. Mizz Currie connected thewires.
VOICE TWO:
Then the officials carried out an emergency test. They told MizzCurrie to take the necessary steps to remove a dangerous chemicalfrom the protective clothing she would wear in space. She used aspecial brush to remove the chemical. Then, the Robonauts used thebrush to remove the chemical from areas Mizz Currie could not reach.Mizz Currie said the tests were successful.
She said astronauts will think about using teams of Robonauts tohelp in the future when they work outside their space craft.
VOICE ONE:
Long before astronauts first entered the International SpaceStation, organisms were already living there. These organisms canonly be seen using a microscope. Most are harmless. However, somecould be dangerous if not controlled. They could attack the spacestation and its crew.These first living space travelers aremicrobes. Microbes include viruses, bacteria and fungi.
Monsi Roman is the chief microbiologist for the EnvironmentalControl and Life Support Systems project. She works at NASA’sMarshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
Mizz Roman says microbes were waiting for the first space stationcrew when they arrived. The microbes were attached to the station’sequipment. They were left there by the people who had worked to makedifferent parts of the space station.
Mizz Roman says most microbes are not a threat. She says eachmicrobe is different. Some microbes even help humans. For example,microbes help us digest our food. However, if some kinds are notcontrolled they can reproduce and eat many kinds of materials.
VOICE TWO:
The space station was designed and built using materials that canresist microbes. Temperature and the water in the space station’satmosphere are controlled to slow or stop the growth of microbes.
However Mizz Roman must work like a detective to find out whatmicrobes will do in different situations and in different areas ofthe space station. She also works to make sure the microbes do notbecome a threat. To do this she closely studies the space station’sair supply and water system.
Mizz Roman grew up on the island of Puerto Rico. She says shenever dreamed she would be a scientist working to guarantee safewater and air for astronauts. She says working at NASA is great fun.She says the most exciting thing is watching the International SpaceStation develop from drawings on paper to a real home and work placein space.
VOICE ONE:
NASA has begun a major new education program. NASA announced itsExplorer Schools Program recently at a meeting in Seattle,Washington. The purpose of the program is to interest young childrenin science and mathematics.
NASA’s Education Enterprise supports the program in cooperationwith the National Science Teachers Association. The program will bea three-year effort that links NASA and fifty NASA Explorer Schoolsacross the United States.
The fifty schools are in thirty states. Eighty percent of theschools are in areas where the people are economically poor.Seventy-five percent of the schools are in minority communities. Ofthe fifty schools, fifty-eight percent are in both poor and minorityareas.
VOICE TWO
The NASA Explorer Schools Program will begin with a”back-to-school” program for teachers. Science and mathematicsteachers will be invited to attend special classes at NASA centers.NASA experts will help the teachers learn new teaching tools to makescience, mathematics and technology more enjoyable to students.
The students will learn new things using classroom teachinglinked with educational technology. For example, NASA ExplorerSchools students will be able to talk to people in far away places.Guest speakers will appear in classrooms electronically with the useof digital technology. The schools will be able to do this with thehelp of special technology to help them talk to space explorers.
Adena Williams Loston is NASA’s Associate Administrator forEducation. She says NASA’s goal is to help children learn howexciting science and technology can be. NASA and the teachers willwork together to make learning science and math more interesting andfun.
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VOICE ONE:
This program was written by Paul Thompson. It was produced byLawan Davis. Our studio engineer was Sulaiman Tarawaley. I’m PhoebeZimmerman.
VOICE TWO:
And I’m Steve Ember. Join us again next week for anotherEXPLORATIONS program in Special English on the Voice of America.