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May 22
The Apollo 10 mission is a dress rehearsal for a July moon landing
1969: Apollo 10 gets bird"s eye view of Moon
England have
Two US astronauts aboard Apollo 10 are on their way back to the safety of
their mother ship after their lunar module came to within eight nautical miles
(14kms) of the Moon"s surface.
Colonel Thomas Stafford and Commander Eugene Cernan were carrying out a
rehearsal for a planned Moon landing this summer.
They were in the lunar module (LM) nicknamed Snoopy and are now about to
rejoin the command module (aka Charlie Brown) piloted by Commander John Young 50
miles (80km) above the Moon.
The two spacemen came closer than any human being has come to a celestial
body.
"Snoopy" made two passes over the planned landing site for Apollo 11 before
making a successful rendezvous with "Charlie Brown".
After the first sweep at six times the speed of sound, Col Stafford said
they had taken so many photographs he feared the camera had jammed while trying
to change the film.
"We just saw earthrise - the Earth appearing over the edge of the lunar
horizon - and it"s got to be magnificent." Commander Eugene Cernan said.
If the mission fails to bring back still shots of possible landing sites
and approaches it will be a serious blow to Apollo planners. They want to make
sure astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin have a safe landing this July in
Apollo 11.
But Col Stafford did manage to get a good view of the surface which he
described as "very smooth, like wet clay".
Commander Cernan then reported to control at Houston: "We just saw
earthrise - the Earth appearing over the edge of the lunar horizon - and it"s
got to be magnificent. It would be nice to be here more often."
Apollo 10 was launched four days ago from Cape Kennedy. It is the fourth
manned Apollo launch within seven months.
It is hoped that the mission will bring back plenty of colour stills and
moving images of the Moon and views of the Earth.
President Nixon and Mr Brezhnev met on the first day of the American
visit
1972: President Nixon arrives in Moscow
Artificially 1969:
The America"s President Richard Nixon has arrived in Moscow for talks with
Soviet leaders.
He was given a modest welcome as he stepped off the plane at Vnukovo
airport with his wife earlier today.
The welcome party consisted of Soviet president Nikolai Podgorny, Prime
Minister Alexei Kosygin and Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko.
A twenty-minute ceremony, during which the president briefly inspected a
guard of honour, was held and broadcast live by Moscow television.
"International issues"
The national anthems of both countries were played and a carefully selected
group of Soviet citizens dutifully, but silently, waved American and Soviet
flags.
President Nixon, the first US president to visit Moscow, was said to be
surprised that Leonid Brezhnev, general secretary of the Communist Party, was
not at the airport.
But Soviet officials said Mr Brezhnev"s absence was according to protocol,
as he does not hold a government position.
However, following a high-speed motorcade through Moscow, President Nixon
was invited to unscheduled talks with Mr Brezhnev at the Kremlin.
The meeting lasted 105 minutes and, although US officials would not give
details, Ronald Ziegler, the White House press secretary, said the two men
discussed "international issues".
Many observers were hoping the war in Vietnam and the nuclear arms race
would be high on the agenda.
For the first time in history the stars and stripes flag of America flew
over the Grand Palace of the Kremlin to mark the visit.
This evening President Nixon and his wife attended a banquet at the
Kremlin. The couple walked along a red carpet and up a 60-step staircase into
the Granovit banqueting hall, where the two presidents drank toasts to
peace.
There are known differences between the two men on such issues as the war
in Vietnam and the Middle East.
President Nixon spoke about the need for co-operation and reciprocation
between the two countries in their efforts to conquer disease, improve the
environment, and to expand bilateral trade and economic links.
He said he was eager to make the summit a memorable one for its
substance.
During his speech he alluded to Vietnam: "We should recognise that it is
the responsibility of great powers to influence other nations in conflict or
crisis to moderate their behaviour."
He also spoke of a possible arms agreement which, he said "could begin to
turn our countries away from a wasteful and dangerous arms race and towards more
production for peace".
President Podgorny said the Soviet Union wanted not just good but friendly
relations with the US.
The US president is due to remain in the Soviet Union until 29 May.
Vocabulary:
celestial body: 天体
motorcade: 汽车行列 |
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发表于 2016-7-9 23:21:19