Comprehension check
Answer the questions:
1. Can random noise be used to guide the erratic behaviour of a chaotic system towards a more stable state?
2. Give the examples when seemingly stable systems become unstable.
3. What is the latest discovery of our researches?
Discussion
Comment on the text using the following prompts: It is alleged…; As far as I know…; To my mind…; There’s no doubt about…;
Summarize the information presented in the text.
UNIT 7
ETHICS IN SPACE MOVES UP THE AGENDA
Vocabbox
noun collocations
§ space debris
§ satellite data
§ atmospheric pollution
§ space technology
§ feasable option
§ space vehicle
§ re-entry
verb collocations
§ promote awareness
§ store nuclear waste
§ consider placing in orbit
§ reduce the cost
§ collide with
§ result in
§ share satellite data
Pre-reading task
1. “Space is a scientific territory that must remain at the disposal of humanity as a whole.” Do you agree with this statement?
2. Have you ever come across the information concerning “space debris”in mass media?
Reading
Read the text. Find some information about environmental data collected by satellites.
Space debris, the possibility of storing nuclear waste in orbit, and the need for rich countries to share satellite data with poorer nations are three of the topics covered in a new report on the “ethics of space”. The report was published by the European Space Agency and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) as the first step in a global campaign to promote awareness of ethics in space. The panel also warns that although the atmospheric pollution caused by rocket launches is negligible at present, it could become a problem in the future.
The report suggests that nuclear waste could be placed into an orbit around the Sun, which would allow almost unlimited amounts of waste to be stored indefinitely at great distances from Earth. However, current space technology is not reliable enough to consider placing nuclear waste in orbit. The report concludes that there must be major progress in reducing the cost and improving the reliability of space launchers before this can become a safe and feasible option.
The panel also recommends that environmental data collected by satellites should be made available to developing countries at no cost, particularly in the event of natural disasters. Space is a scientific territory that must remain at the disposal of humanity as a whole.
The growing amounts of debris in space, such as fragments of previous launchers and failed missions, are also addressed. There is estimated to be an astonishing 35 million artificial objects with dimensions between 0.1 and 1 cm in space today. If one of the objects collided with a satellite or space vehicle it could result in an uncontrolled re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere, with potentially catastrophic consequences. The panel stresses that international co-operation over space debris is essential. Space debris is also the main cause of “electromagnetic pollution” in space, which is a major headache for astronomers.
The panel also calls for geostationary orbits to be divided equally among scientists and the telecommunications industry, and for certain wavelengths to he reserved for research purposes.
Comprehension check
Answer the following questions:
1. What can become a problem in the future?
2. Where could the nuclear waste be placed?
3. What might be the consequences of the space debris collision with a satellite?
Discussion
Comment on the article using the following prompts: …as I see it…, …personally I feel…, …I’m not sure about it…, What matters is…
Discuss the future possible ways of “space debris” problem solution.
UNIT 8
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