Podcasts about heavenly palace

Astro Bob is back with a new podcast!  Join Astro Bob King and host Lisa Johnson for a look at what to see in the night skies this month all across Minnesota. In our debut episode,  Bob talks about the planets (they'll all be visible at different times this month), a conjunction right away February 1st, and how to see the "Heavenly Palace."     Bob King is an author, photographer and amateur astronomer and he writes about astronomy (and offers photography tips) for a variety of publications, including his column for Forum Communications and Sky & Telescope magazine.  For more information about the guides Bob talked about, you can check out Skymaps.com and/or look for Stellarium Mobile where you get your apps. It's available for both Apple and Android phones. For information about satellites, visit Heavens Above for satellite and other data customized to your location. Information about the Seestar Smart Telescope is available here. If you want to sing the "Conjunction Junction" song from Schoolhouse Rock, you can find it here.  To learn more about the Chinese space station, Tiangong, click here.  To learn more about Road Scholar trips, click here.

China has declared a complete success after launching the Shenzhou-19 crew to the Tiangong Space Station. The US Department of Defense is reportedly raising its Proliferated Low Earth Orbit Satellite-Based Services program from an initial $900 million ceiling to a projected $13 billion according to Space News. Lockheed Martin has completed its previously announced acquisition of Terran Orbital, and its subsidiary, Tyvak International, and more.  Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Miss an episode? Sign-up for our weekly intelligence roundup, Signals and Space, and you'll never miss a beat. And be sure to follow T-Minus on LinkedIn and Instagram. T-Minus Guest Our guest today is Brian Weeden, Systems Director, Center for Space Policy and Strategy at the Aerospace Corporation.  You can connect with Brian on LinkedIn, and read the Space Agenda 2025 online. Selected Reading China launches new crew to its space station as it seeks to expand exploration : NPR Pentagon's commercial satellite internet services program soars to $13 billion - SpaceNews Lockheed Martin Advances Space Capabilities through Strategic Terran Orbital Acquisition - Oct 30, 2024 Space Forge Inc. and Voyager Space Unite to Revolutionize Commercial In-Space Manufacturing Anuvu Partners with D-Orbit USA for Design of Innovative Non-Geostationary Satellite Network Eutelsat Communications: First Quarter 2024-25 Revenues- Business Wire PRESS RELEASE: Space Port Australia and Titans Space Development Corporation sign MoU – Get The Word Out Two National Airlines Choose a Seamless Multi-orbit IFC Future with SES Open Orbits™- Business Wire NASA awards UNH $24M contract to build sensors to monitor space weather NASA Sets Coverage for its SpaceX Crew-9 Dragon Station Relocation Maxar Intelligence Announces New Leadership Appointments to Fuel Continued Growth and Innovation | Business Wire Crosscut Ventures Evolves Its Focus to Tackle Humanity's Biggest Problems in Frontier Tech - Space, Defense, and Energy Transition T-Minus Crew Survey We want to hear from you! Please complete our 4 question survey. It'll help us get better and deliver you the most mission-critical space intel every day. Want to hear your company in the show? You too can reach the most influential leaders and operators in the industry. Here's our media kit. Contact us at space@n2k.com to request more info. Want to join us for an interview? Please send your pitch to space-editor@n2k.com and include your name, affiliation, and topic proposal. T-Minus is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

到了天竺国，公主扔绣球招婿，打中了唐僧。其实这公主是假的，真公主被妖精刮到一个寺庙里。妖精是兔子精，不是悟空的对手，差点被悟空打死，嫦娥仙子来求情，原来妖精是天宫捣药的玉兔。悟空把真公主救回了家。 In the Kingdom of Tianzhu, a princess threw a embroidered ball to choose a husband and accidentally hit Tang Seng. However, this princess was fake; the real one was captured by a demon and hidden in a temple. The demon turned out to be a rabbit spirit and was no match for Sun Wukong. He almost killed the rabbit spirit, but Chang'e fairy intervened. It turned out the demon was the Jade Rabbit from the Heavenly Palace, used for pounding medicine. Sun Wukong rescued the real princess and brought her home.

这一回了没有妖怪捣乱，唐僧师徒也没有遇到危险，他们却做了一件大好事。凤仙郡的郡首对天不敬，玉皇大帝惩罚，三年没有下雨，全郡的人都快饿死了。悟空到天宫问清了原因，让郡守改正错误，最后过了玉帝设的三关，迎来了大雨。 This time there were no demons causing trouble. Tang Seng and his disciples didn't encounter any danger. Instead, they did a great deed. The magistrate of Phoenix County showed disrespect to the heavens, so the Jade Emperor punished them by withholding rain for three years, causing famine throughout the county. Sun Wukong went to the Heavenly Palace to ascertain the reason and urged the magistrate to correct his mistake. Finally, after passing the three trials set by the Jade Emperor, they welcomed the arrival of heavy rain.

Tian Guan Ci Fu/ Heaven Official's Blessing English audiobook chapter 47. https://youtu.be/9rt1Mf4sguQ

Hello everyone. In this episode I talk about Valentine's Day and Qixi the traditional "love festival" in China. What are the origins of these two holidays? And how are these holidays celebrated in modern China? Script and expressions below.大家好，欢迎收听新一期的五分钟中文。2月14号是西方的情人节，所以我想跟大家聊一聊西方情人节和中国七夕。因为有人也把七夕比作中国的情人节。中西这两个情人节的传说是什么？现代人又都是怎么过情人节的呢？情人节 | Qíngrén jié | Valentine's Day七夕 | qīxì | Qixi很多美国人都会过情人节。但是不是所有人都知道情人节的起源。关于情人节，最有名的说法是3世纪，罗马皇帝下令所有单身男性从军，不许结婚。天主教神父瓦伦泰（Valentine）违反皇帝的禁令，秘密替人证婚，结果被士兵逮捕，在269年2月14日被绞死。为了纪念瓦伦泰，人们将每年2月14日定为纪念日，成了后来的“情人节”。起源 | qǐyuán | origin说法 | shuōfǎ | one's version (of events)罗马 | luómǎ | Rome皇帝 | huángdì | emperor单身 | dānshēn | single男性 | nánxìng | male从军 | cóngjūn | join the army结婚 | jiéhūn | marry天主教 | tiānzhǔjiào | catholic神父 | shénfù | priest违反 | wéifǎn | violation禁令 | jìnlìng | ban秘密 | mìmì | secret替 | tì | for证婚 | zhènghūn | Witness the marriage逮捕 | dàibǔ | arrest绞死 | jiǎo sǐ | to hang纪念 | jìniàn | commemorate中国的七夕节也有各种版本的传说。最有名的是织女是天宫的王母娘娘的女儿，有一次她跟她的姐妹们一起到地上玩儿，在一个湖里洗澡的时候认识了牛郎。两个人都爱上了对方。所以织女决定留在地上，跟牛郎结婚生子。后来王母娘娘知道了这件事，非常生气。她把织女带回天上，并且用银河把织女和牛郎分开。可是天上的喜鹊被他们的爱情感动，所以一起为他们搭成了一座“鹊桥”。这样两个人就可以在桥上见面了。最后王母娘娘也被他俩感动，定了每年农历7月7日两个人可以见一次。所以每年的七夕这一天，大家都会期待美好的爱情。版本 | bǎnběn | Version织女 | zhīnǚ | weaver girl天宫 | tiāngōng | Heavenly Palace王母娘娘 | wángmǔniángniáng | queen mother牛郎 | niú láng | Cowherd银河 | yínhé | miky way喜鹊 | xǐquè | magpie爱情 | àiqíng | love感动 | gǎndòng | move搭 | dā | build鹊桥 | quèqiáo | Magpie Bridge那中国人都是怎么过七夕和情人节的呢？在中国，我觉得大家两个节都会过。不过我感觉没有人会太在乎情人节和七夕的传统。我查了一下，七夕节的传统活动有“穿针乞巧”、“观星”、 “吃巧果”等等。但是其实中国人过七夕最重要的活动就是跟爱人在一起，吃美食，互送礼物。跟过西方的情人节也差不多。现在中国人都用微信，也很喜欢用微信发红包。在情人节或者七夕节的时候，中国人会给自己的爱人发电子红包。很多人会发520元，因为520的中文发音“五二零”很像”我爱你”。穿针 | chuān zhēn | thread the line through the needle | 观星 | guān xīng | stargazing | 吃巧果 | chī qiǎo guǒ | eat various nuts | 美食 | měishí | Nice food | 你知道情人节和七夕节的传说吗？你过这两个节吗？如果你过的话，你一般会怎么过呢？感谢您收听这期关于情人节得节目。如果你喜欢五分钟中文，请帮我订阅、点赞、分享，让这个节目可以帮到更多的学习中文的人。感谢您的收听，我们下期再见！Thank you for listening. If you like 5 Minute Chinese, please help me by subscribing, liking, and sharing the show so that it can help more people. Thank you for your support. If you have any questions, you can email me at TheLoneMandarinTeacher@outlook.com.

英语新闻|翟志刚、王亚平、叶光富获颁航天功勋奖章The three crew members of the Shenzhou XIII mission have been awarded with medals to honor their service and accomplishments.神州十三号的三名航天员被授予勋章，为褒奖他们为我国载人航天事业建立的卓著功绩。The Communist Party of China Central Committee, the State Council and the Central Military Commission conferred on Tuesday the Second-grade Space Service Medal on Major General Zhai Zhigang and Senior Colonel Wang Yaping and a Third-grade Space Service Medal on Senior Colonel Ye Guangfu.6月21日，中共中央、国务院、中央军委决定，给翟志刚、王亚平同志颁发“二级航天功勋奖章”，给叶光富同志颁发“三级航天功勋奖章”。Ye was also named a "Heroic Astronaut" on Tuesday. Zhai and Wang have received honorary titles for their past flight missions.21日，叶光富同志还被授予“英雄航天员”荣誉称号。此前，翟志刚、王亚平因圆满完成飞行任务获得了荣誉称号。Zhai was commander of the six-month Shenzhou XIII mission while Wang and Ye were crew members. They are part of the People's Liberation Army Astronaut Division headquartered in northwestern Beijing.在为期6个月的神舟十三号载人飞行任务中，飞行乘组由航天员翟志刚、王亚平和叶光富组成，翟志刚担任指令长。他们隶属于总部位于北京的中国人民解放军航天员大队。Zhai and his crewmates have spent 183 days in orbit about 400 kilometers above the Earth since their Shenzhou XIII spacecraft was launched on Oct 16 from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, making it China's longest-ever spaceflight.自2021年10月16日神舟十三号在酒泉卫星发射中心发射以来，翟志刚和他的组员们已经在地球上空约400公里的轨道上度过了183天，刷新了中国航天员单次飞行任务太空驻留时间的纪录。They were the second inhabitants of the country's permanent space station named Tiangong, or Heavenly Palace.Thanks to the Shenzhou XIII mission, Wang is now the record holder in China for the longest time in spaceflight, boasting a total of 198 days. She also became the first female Chinese spacewalker after taking part in the crew's first spacewalk on Nov 7.他们是我们自己的空间站“天宫”的第二批“入住成员”。由于参加了神舟十三号载人飞行任务，王亚平成为我国在轨飞行累计时长最长的航天员，共计198天。2021年11月7日，她成为我国首位进行出舱活动的女航天员，迈出了中国女性舱外太空行走第一步。During their space journey, the astronauts have carried out two spacewalks that totaled more than 12 hours. They've mounted components on the station's robotic arm and used it to practice extravehicular maneuvers. They've also examined the safety and performance of support devices for spacewalks and tested the functions of their extravehicular suits.在神舟十三号航天员乘组的太空之旅中，航天员出舱进行了两次太空漫步，总时长超过12小时。他们在空间站的机械臂上安装了组件，并用其练习出舱活动。他们测试了太空行走支撑装置的安全性和性能，并检验舱外航天服的功能。In addition, the trio had carried out two science lectures for Chinese students from the orbiting station.此外，三人还在中国空间站为学生们开展了两次“天宫课堂”太空授课。A statement with regard to their medals called the astronauts outstanding representatives of Chinese science and technology professionals, space industry workers and PLA service members.神舟十三号载人飞行任务圆满成功，凝聚着广大科技工作者、航天员、干部职工、解放军指战员的智慧和心血，翟志刚、王亚平、叶光富同志是其中的杰出代表。The CPC Central Committee urged the Chinese people to learn from their spirit and contributions to work harder for the Party and the country.党中央号召，全党全军全国各族人民要以收到褒奖的航天员为榜样，大力弘扬“两弹一星”精神和载人航天精神，为实现中华名族伟大复兴的中国梦而不懈奋斗。extravehicular英[ˌekstrəvi:'hɪkjələ]；美[ˌekstrəvi'hɪkjələ]adj.太空船外的trio英[ˈtriːəʊ]；美[ ˈtriːoʊ]n.三重奏；三人一组；三重奏[三重唱]乐曲；（小步舞曲、谐谑曲等的）中段orbiting英['ɔ:bɪtɪŋ]；美['ɔbɪtɪŋ]v.在…轨道上运行，环绕轨道运行；沿轨道运行；绕转

The famous beautiful monkey king is back. And he's mad. English Episode: Journey To The West: Monkey King Wrecks The Heavenly Palace (西遊記: 大聖鬧天宮)Dàshèng nào tiāngōng --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/chinesestartales/support

The famous beautiful monkey king is back. And he's mad. Chinese Episode: 西游记: 大圣闹天宫 (西遊記: 大聖鬧天宮)Dàshèng nào tiāngōng Journey To The West: Monkey King Wrecks The Heavenly Palace --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/chinesestartales/support

“摘星星的妈妈”回来了！After orbiting Earth for six months, the three crew members of China's Shenzhou XIII mission departed from the Tiangong space station and returned to the mother planet on Saturday morning, finishing the nation's longest manned spaceflight.在围绕地球飞行六个月后，神舟十三号载人飞船搭载的三名航天员于4月16日早晨从天宫空间站返回地球，完成了国内时间最长的载人航天飞行。Major General Zhai Zhigang, who was the mission commander, Senior Colonel Wang Yaping and Senior Colonel Ye Guangfu breathed fresh air for the first time after the half-year space journey as ground recovery personnel opened the hatch of their reentry capsule at 10:03 am.上午10时03分，地面救援人员打开了返回舱的舱门，在长达半年的太空之旅完成后，指令长翟志刚少将、王亚平大校和叶光富大校呼吸到了第一口新鲜的空气。The capsule touched down on Earth at the Dongfeng Landing Site in northwestern China's Gobi Desert at 9:56 am after flying nine hours in a reentry trajectory.返回舱经过9小时的返回飞行，于上午9点56分降落在位于西北戈壁沙漠上的东风着陆点。They were then carried out one by one by ground workers and placed onto chairs in front of the capsule.三名航天员被地面人员一一抬出，坐上放在返回舱前的专用座椅。"I am feeling very good. We want to report to the motherland and the people that we have successfully completed the Shenzhou XIII mission. We wish to thank President Xi for his care and attention. We thank all the Chinese people for their support and encouragement. Our gratitude also goes to all of those involved in our mission who accompanied us day and night," Zhai, the mission commander, told China Central Television in a live program on the State broadcaster.指令长翟志刚在国家广播电台的直播节目中说道：“感觉非常良好，向祖国和人民报告！我们圆满完成任务，现在已返回地面。感谢习主席对我们的关心关爱，感谢全国人民对我们的支持和鼓励，感谢工程全线人员日夜陪护和相伴。”"It is the power and strength of our country that built the high-flying space station. I am proud of my great motherland," he said.他说，“这是我们国家强大，才为我们搭建了这么高的工作平台。我为我们伟大的祖国感到骄傲。”Wang, the first Chinese woman to live in the Tiangong station and also the first female Chinese spacewalker, told the State broadcaster that she is very happy to return to the motherland and wants to tell her little daughter that "mom has returned after reaching for the stars".作为中国首位进驻空间站的女航天员，同时也是中国女性太空行走第一人，王亚平表示，回到祖国怀抱真的很开心，想告诉她的女儿，“摘星星的妈妈回来了”。Carrying the mission crew, the Shenzhou XIII spacecraft undocked from the Tiangong station at 12:44 am on Saturday.周六（16日）凌晨12时44分，神舟十三号载人飞船与空间站天和核心舱成功分离。In the last hours of their stay inside the Tiangong, the astronauts worked with ground controllers to configure the station, transmit some experimental data back to Earth and sort out materials, according to the agency.在天宫空间站停留的最后几个小时，航天员与地面控制人员一起对空间站进行状态设置，将一些实验数据传回地球并进行资料整理。Zhai and his crewmates spent 183 days in an orbit about 400 kilometers above the Earth since their Shenzhou XIII spacecraft was launched on Oct 16 by a Long March 2F carrier rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region. They were the second inhabitants of China's permanent space station named Tiangong, also known as Heavenly Palace.自2021年10月16日长征二号F运载火箭在内蒙古自治区酒泉卫星发射中心发射神舟十三号飞船以来，翟志刚等三名航天员已经距离地球400公里的轨道上度过了183天，成为入住中国空间站天宫的第二批航天员。The crew has set a new record for China's longest spaceflight, almost doubling the previous record of 92 days created by their peers in the Shenzhou XII mission who travelled with Tiangong from mid-June to mid-September last year.三名航天员创造了中国航天员连续在轨飞行时间的最长纪录，几乎是神州十二号92天飞行纪录的两倍。During the Shenzhou XIII mission, the astronauts carried out two spacewalks that totaled more than 12 hours. They mounted components on the station's robotic arm and used it to practice extravehicular maneuvers, verified the arm's capabilities and its compatibility with the crew's needs, examined the safety and performance of support devices for extravehicular activity and also tested the functions of their extravehicular suits.神舟十三号任务期间，航天员进行了两次太空行走，总时长超过12小时。航天员在空间站的机械臂上安装了组件，利用机械臂操作空间站舱段转位的可行性和有效性，验证了机械臂大负载操控技术及其与机组人员需求的兼容性，检查出舱活动支持装置的安全性和性能，并测试出舱服的功能。Wang took part in the first spacewalk on Nov 7, becoming the first female Chinese spacewalker.王亚平于2021年11月7日首次进行太空行走，成为中国女性太空行走第一人。The crew members also carried out two science lectures for Chinese students. In those lectures, which were livestreamed worldwide by China Media Group, the astronauts showed viewers how they live and work inside the gigantic space station and showed physical phenomena only possible in microgravity such as "disappearing buoyancy" and a "water ball".乘组还为中国学生进行了两次“太空授课”。在中央广播电视总台为全球直播的讲座中，乘组向观众展示了他们在巨大的空间站内的生活和工作，并展示了浮力消失实验、水球光学实验等只有在微重力下才有可能出现的物理现象。In one experiment, Wang used a Bing Dwen Dwen toy, the popular mascot of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games, to display how objects fly in weightless environment.在其中一项实验中，王亚平通过北京2022年冬奥会吉祥物冰墩墩演示了物体在失重环境下的飞行轨迹。The Shenzhou XIII's space-based lessons marked the start of the Tiangong Class series, China's first extraterrestrial lecture series that aims to popularize space science and inspire youngsters to pursue their "science and space dreams", according to the manned space agency.中国载人航天工程办公室称，神舟十三号的“太空授课”标志着“天宫课堂”开始，它将成为中国首个太空科普系列，并激励年轻人追求他们的“科学和太空梦想”。The classes were also special to Wang as it was her who carried out the nation's first space-based lecture inside an experimental space station module to more than 60 million Chinese students during the Shenzhou X mission in June 2013. That lecture made China the second country, following the United States, to have delivered a lesson to schoolchildren from space.“天宫课堂”对王亚平也具有特殊意义。2013年6月神舟十号飞行任务期间，正是她在实验空间站舱内为超过6000万中国学生成功进行中国首次太空授课，使中国成为继美国之后第二个完成太空授课的国家。In early February, the astronauts spent Spring Festival, or Chinese Lunar New Year, inside the orbiting station, becoming the first Chinese people to celebrate the country's most important traditional festival in outer space. They appeared in a live broadcast gala and sent their best wishes to Chinese people.今年2月初，乘组在空间站度过了中国的农历春节，成为第一个在太空过年的乘组，他们现身春晚直播现场，向中国人民送上最美好的祝福。Several days before their return, Zhai and his crewmates recorded a video in which they answered questions solicited from students across the United States who were curious about their life and tasks.在返回前几天，翟志刚等三人录制了一段视频，与多名美国孩子进行视频通话，回答了美国孩子对空间站生活和工作的好奇问题。Before the end of 2022, China will send six astronauts in the Shenzhou XIV and XV missions with two space lab components as well as two robotic cargo spaceships to dock with Tiangong, completing the massive orbiting outpost, the largest space-based infrastructure the nation has ever built.2022年底前，中国将派出六名航天员参与神舟十四号、十五号任务，搭载两个空间实验室部件和两个大型太空实验室，与核心舱对接，完成天宫空间站的建造。Upon its completion, Tiangong will be manned regularly by groups of three astronauts in periods lasting several months. During handovers to new three-astronaut groups, the station will accommodate up to six astronauts.天宫建成后，将由三名宇航员组成的乘组定期在轨飞行数月。在向新的三名宇航员小组移交期间，该站最多可容纳六名宇航员。

The Astronomy, Technology, and Space Science News Podcast.SpaceTime Series 25 Episode 8Listen to SpaceTime on your favourite App with our universal listen link: https://link.chtbl.com/spacetime *Making stars out of bubblesA new study has found the local bubble – a region of the galaxy through which the Sun, Earth and solar system are now travelling -- may have triggered the birth of thousands of new stars.*A new model to explain the lunar dichotomyA new study supports the idea that a massive cosmic impact billions of years ago could account for the vast differences between the near and far side of the Moon.*Chinese space station to be completed this yearBeijing says it will complete construction of its Tiangong or Heavenly Palace space station this year.*Japan launches new hybrid telecommunication satelliteThe largest and most sophisticated commercial telecommunications satellite ever launched – the Inmarsat-6 F1 has blasted into orbit aboard an H2A rocket from the Tanegashima Space Centre 40 kilometres south of Kyushu.*The Science ReportThe past seven years have been the hottest on record globally.The largest ichthyosaur ever found in the United Kingdom.Olive oil linked to a lower risk of dying.Alex on Tech wraps up CES the world's biggest consumer electronics show.:For more SpaceTime and show links: https://linktr.ee/biteszHQ If you love this podcast, please get someone else to listen to. Thank you…To become a SpaceTime supporter and unlock commercial free editions of the show, gain early access and bonus content, please visit https://bitesz.supercast.com/ . Premium version now available via Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

“神十三”乘组圆满完成第二次出舱既定任务︱Shenzhou astronauts conduct 2nd spacewalkChina's Shenzhou XIII mission crew conducted their second extravehicular activity on Sunday.12月26日，神州十三号乘组第二次出舱作业。During the spacewalk, which started at 6:44 pm on Sunday, mission commander Major General Zhai Zhigang and Senior Colonel Ye Guangfu adjusted the position of a panoramic camera and tested their spacesuits and the robotic arm.出舱任务由18时44分开始。舱外活动期间，航天员指令长翟志刚、航天员叶光富大校先后完成了全景相机C抬升，进一步验证了舱外服与机械臂的功能性能。Senior Colonel Wang Yaping stayed inside the Tiangong space station to support the operation.驻守舱内的航天员王亚平配合地面操控机械臂，支持两名出舱航天员开展舱外作业。 According to the China Manned Space Agency, the spacewalk helped to improve the astronauts' skill at cooperating with each other and ground control, and built experience that will benefit future spacewalks.据中国载人航天工程办公室介绍，此次活动有助提高舱内外航天员协同以及天地协同能力，为后续出舱活动进一步积累了经验。It was the first spacewalk for Ye, who joined China's second group of astronauts in May 2010.航天员叶光富于2010年5月入选我国第二批航天员，此次是他首次出舱作业。Pang Zhihao, a spaceflight researcher in Beijing who worked at the China Academy of Space Technology for decades, said making spacewalks has become a regular part of China's manned space missions.中国空间技术研究院工作数十年有余的研究员庞之浩表示，太空行走已成为中国载人航天任务的常规部分。"Our astronauts have learned a lot about extravehicular maneuvers through previous spacewalks. Next, they will have many challenging, demanding tasks in future spacewalks, such as installing equipment and fixing malfunctions," he said.他补充道，“此前的出舱活动为我们的航天员积累了许多舱外机动的知识经验，在以后的出舱作业中，他们还会遇到很多挑战，任务也更为艰巨，例如安装设备、修复故障一类。”The Shenzhou XIII mission was launched on Oct 16 by a Long March 2F carrier rocket that blasted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern China's Gobi Desert, with the crew soon entering the Tiangong space station. They are scheduled to spend six months working in the station, making it China's longest space mission.2021年10月16日，神舟十三号载人飞船由长征2F运载火箭搭载，于戈壁滩上的酒泉卫星发射中心发射升空，带领飞行乘组进入天宫空间站。此次航天任务为期六个月，是中国目前为止时间跨度最长的航天任务。As of Sunday, the astronauts have been in space for 72 days. They completed their first spacewalk on Nov 8, with Wang, 41, becoming China's first female spacewalker.截至12月26日，三名航天员已在太空生活72天。11月8日，乘组圆满完成神州十三号首次出舱活动，41岁的王亚平成为中国首位执行出舱任务的女航天员。During the first spacewalk, Zhai and Wang mounted components on the robotic arm and used it to practice extravehicular maneuvers. They verified the arm's capabilities and its compatibility with the needs of astronauts, examined the safety and performance of support devices and also tested the functions of their extravehicular suits.首次出舱活动中，翟志刚和王亚平两位航天员完成安装机械臂悬挂装置，并利用该装置开展舱外机动；检验了我国新一代舱外航天服的功能性能，检验了航天员与机械臂协同工作的能力及出舱活动相关支持设备的可靠性与安全性。Shenzhou XIII is the fourth spacecraft to visit the Tiangong station and the second crewed ship to transport astronauts to theorbiting outpost.神舟十三号是第四艘访问天宫站的航天器，也是第二艘将航天员运送至轨道前哨站的载人飞船。Tiangong, or Heavenly Palace, one of China's most challenging and sophisticated space endeavors, will eventually consist of three main components－the Tianhe core module attached to two large space labs.“天宫”是中国的空间站系统，是中国太空事业中最具挑战性、最复杂的一项，建成后由三个主要部分——“天和”核心舱、问天实验舱与梦天实验舱组成。It will have a combined weight of nearly 70 metric tons. The entire station is scheduled to work for about 15 years in a low-Earth orbit about 400 kilometers above the planet.建成后“天宫”空间站总重量接近70吨，并计划在离地面约400公里的近地轨道上运作约15年。The first astronauts inside Tiangong－Major General Nie Haisheng, Major General Liu Boming and Senior Colonel Tang Hongbo－finished their 92-day mission in mid-September. They performed two spacewalks. 神州十二号乘组——聂海胜少将、刘伯明少将、汤洪波大校是“天宫”站内的首批宇航员。三位航天员圆满完成了为期92天的航天任务，期间开展两次舱外活动，并于9月中旬成功返航。extravehicular英 [ˈekstrə vəˈhɪkjələ(r)]；美[ˈekstrə viːˈhɪkjələr] adj. 舱外的；宇宙飞船外的；出舱的panoramic英 [ˌpænəˈræmɪk]；美[ˌpænəˈræmɪk]adj. 全景的；远景的malfunction英 [ˌmælˈfʌŋkʃn]；美[ˌmælˈfʌŋkʃn]n. 故障；失灵low-Earth orbit英 [ləʊ ɜːθ ˈɔːbɪt]；美[loʊ ɜːrθ ˈɔːrbɪt] n. 近地轨道

Deng Weibiao is a leading figure of Chinese New Age Music. Today, we continue with Deng's other distinctive works that reflect the marvelous musical expressions of Chinese instruments, bringing to mind the magnificent rivers, an endless desert known as the place of no return, flame-like flowers and havoc in the Heavenly Palace.

What is it like to live in a space station 24/7 for three months? Is it better or worse than living on earth? Here are the answers to satisfy your curiosity.

China has successfully launched three astronauts into space, bringing the country one step closer to completing its new space station - the "Heavenly Palace". The Shenzhou-12 spacecraft, called the "Divine Vessel", was launched with much hype - it's China's first manned mission in nearly five years. The crew successfully docked seven hours after the launch - a moment applauded by mission control in China. Space.com editor Tariq Malik spoke to Corin Dann.

China has successfully launched three astronauts into space, bringing the country one step closer to completing its new space station - the "Heavenly Palace". The Shenzhou-12 spacecraft, called the "Divine Vessel", was launched with much hype - it's China's first manned mission in nearly five years. The crew successfully docked seven hours after the launch - a moment applauded by mission control in China. Space.com editor Tariq Malik spoke to Corin Dann.

On this episode of Expanded Perspectives the guys start the show off talking about how Tiangong -1 is no more. China's prototype space station, whose name translates as "Heavenly Palace 1," met a fiery end in Earth's atmosphere, breaking apart and burning up in the skies over the southern Pacific Ocean at about 8:16 p.m. EDT (0016 April 2 GMT), according to the U.S. Strategic Command's Joint Force Space Component Command (JFSCC). Tiangong-1 was about 34 feet long by 11 feet wide (10.4 by 3.4 meters), and it weighed more than 9 tons (8 metric tons). The space lab consisted of two main parts: an "experimental module" that housed visiting astronauts and a "resource module" that accommodated Tiangong-1's solar-energy and propulsion systems. Then, a man in Cleburne County, Arkansas says he and his friend came across a humanoid with a “wolf head”. Technician Chris Branch said that his next door neighbor was the one to actually see the creature back in February. The man specified a location but it will remain undisclosed in this report due to privacy reasons. Apparently this beast wasn’t a bear or a dog, it was more of a body builder with a wolf head”. Then, a woman and her boyfriend saw what looked like a giant flying humanoid fly right by their vehicle back in December 2017 in a rural area of Quebec. She claims the winged monster looked like the guy from the hit movie Jeepers Creepers! After the break Kyle talks about some fascinating stories in a new book about Truck Drivers and their paranormal experiences called "Trucker Ghost Stories" by Annie Wilder. All of this and more on this weeks episode of Expanded Perspectives! Show Notes: Farewell, Tiangong-1: Chinese Space Station Meets Fiery Doom Over South Pacific Men See Humanoid with "Wolf Head" in Arkansas Huge Winged Being Encountered in Rural Quebec Book "Trucker Ghost Stories" by Annie Wilder Sponsors: Dollar Shave Club Stamps.com Music: All music for Expanded Perspectives is provided by Pretty Lights. Purchase, Download and Donate at www.prettylightsmusic.com. Songs Used: Pretty Lights vs. Led Zeppelin Gold Coast Hustle Understand Me Now Look Both Ways

On this episode of Expanded Perspectives the guys start the show off talking about how Tiangong -1 is no more. China's prototype space station, whose name translates as "Heavenly Palace 1," met a fiery end in Earth's atmosphere, breaking apart and burning up in the skies over the southern Pacific Ocean at about 8:16 p.m. EDT (0016 April 2 GMT), according to the U.S. Strategic Command's Joint Force Space Component Command (JFSCC). Tiangong-1 was about 34 feet long by 11 feet wide (10.4 by 3.4 meters), and it weighed more than 9 tons (8 metric tons). The space lab consisted of two main parts: an "experimental module" that housed visiting astronauts and a "resource module" that accommodated Tiangong-1's solar-energy and propulsion systems. Then, a man in Cleburne County, Arkansas says he and his friend came across a humanoid with a “wolf head”. Technician Chris Branch said that his next door neighbor was the one to actually see the creature back in February. The man specified a location but it will remain undisclosed in this report due to privacy reasons. Apparently this beast wasn’t a bear or a dog, it was more of a body builder with a wolf head”. Then, a woman and her boyfriend saw what looked like a giant flying humanoid fly right by their vehicle back in December 2017 in a rural area of Quebec. She claims the winged monster looked like the guy from the hit movie Jeepers Creepers! After the break Kyle talks about some fascinating stories in a new book about Truck Drivers and their paranormal experiences called "Trucker Ghost Stories" by Annie Wilder. All of this and more on this weeks episode of Expanded Perspectives! Show Notes: Farewell, Tiangong-1: Chinese Space Station Meets Fiery Doom Over South Pacific Men See Humanoid with "Wolf Head" in Arkansas Huge Winged Being Encountered in Rural Quebec Book "Trucker Ghost Stories" by Annie Wilder Sponsors: Dollar Shave Club Stamps.com Music: All music for Expanded Perspectives is provided by Pretty Lights. Purchase, Download and Donate at www.prettylightsmusic.com. Songs Used: Pretty Lights vs. Led Zeppelin Gold Coast Hustle Understand Me Now Look Both Ways

We talk about how a California Judge ruled that coffee sold in the state must now contain a cancer warning label as well as the situation with the falling Chinese Space Station, "Heavenly Palace-1" and Facebook's new privacy settings resulting from the Cambridge Analytica scandal. As always, if you enjoyed the show, follow us and subscribe to the show: you can find us on iTunes or on any app that carries podcasts as well as on YouTube. Please remember to subscribe and give us a nice review. That way you’ll always be among the first to get the latest GSMC Social Media News Podcasts.We would like to thank our Sponsors: GSMC Podcast NetworkAdvertise with US: http://www.gsmcpodcast.com/advertise-with-us.html Website: http://www.gsmcpodcast.com/social-media-podcast.htmlITunes Feed : https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/gsmc-social-media-news-podcast/id1120883019 GSMC YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnNnGMp0Jaw&list=PLF8Qial15ufpPnxs1xqANLSJVL0LPcfkjTwitter: https://twitter.com/gsmc_smediaFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/gsmcsocialmedianews/Disclaimer: The views expressed on the GSMC Book Review Podcast are for entertainment purposes only. Reproduction, copying, or redistribution of The GSMC Book Review Podcast without the express written consent of Golden State Media Concepts LLC is prohibited.

Scott and Wes talk with Shawn about China's "Heavenly Palace" preparing the crash down on Earth, the latest Soyuz crew docking with the ISS, solar activity, and a major milestone for the Mars Rover.

Episode 004 - NASA Spinoffs FUN FACT OF THE DAY: THERE MAY BE A PLANET MADE OUT OF DIAMONDS. As space facts go, this is pretty impressive. Research by Yale University scientists suggests that a rocky planet called 55 Cancri e — which has a radius twice Earth’s, and a mass eight times greater – may have a surface made up of graphite and diamond. It’s 40 light years away but visible to the naked eye in the constellation of Cancer.   Contest Reminder Shout out to Gwydion 16 year old from North Whales hoping to study Astrophysics at University and go on to cool Space Stuff after that   News: NASA will fly you to the sun — or at least your name. Now until April 27, NASA is accepting online submissions to be sent on the Parker Solar Probe all the way to the sun. Learn more and add your name to the mission here: http://go.nasa.gov/HotTicket   China’s Space Station is crashing to Earth If you haven’t heard, Tiangong-1 launched in 2011 as China's first space laboratory, a first step to a permanent space station. For about five years, it orbited Earth and acted as a base for three missions for the Chinese National Space Administration. In September 2016, however, Chinese officials announced that they had lost control of the station, meaning it would eventually come hurtling back to Earth. Exactly when or where it would do so was a mystery. We’ve now learned that the 9.5 ton Heavenly Palace is expected to sometime in the next few weeks in Spain, Portugal, France, and maybe even Greece.   Todays Topic: Spinoffs Tony what are spinoffs?   Inside 2018 Spinoffs Since 2976, Spinoff has anually profiled an average of 50 commercial technologies with origins in NASA missions and research. You can download these issues at spinoff.nasa.gov   Weightless “Weight” Lifting Builds Muscle on Earth   In zero gravity, the human body quickly loses significant muscle and bone mass, making a rigorous workout schedule crucial to long-term health. OYO Fitness founder Paul Francis worked with NASA to develop a resistive exercise device for the astronauts to use in space. The innovation led to several lines of Earth-bound exercise devices, most recently OYO Fitness’ DoubleFlex Silver portable gym. Francis describes the DoubleFlex as the world’s only exercise device that applies resistance to both sides of muscle groups in one motion, enabling balanced bodybuilding in half the time. “Combining strength with movement, without weight or momentum, our portable gym is the new way to get fit anywhere, anytime,” he says.   Space-Grade Insulation Keeps Beer Colder on Earth   KegSheet beer keg insulators made with multilayer reflective thin-film insulation pioneered by NASA, are not just effective but also lightweight and low-mass, folding up small enough to fit in a back pocket. KegSheets began showing up at retailers, mostly around Philadelphia, in late summer of 2016, going for anywhere from $8 to $15. Most Famous Spinoffs Digital Image Sensors Whether you are using a DSLR camera, your cell phone, or a GoPro, you’re using NASA technology. The CMOS active pixel sensor in most digital cameras was invented when NASA needed to miniaturize cameras for missions to other planets. Related Myth: Didn’t NASA also invent the MRI?? CAT SCAN??? No, actually NASA did not invent it, but this active pixel sensor that was originally made to enhance images from the Moon and that was implemented in these cameras, was also used to improve images of the organs in the human body for diagnostic purposes. Two techniques that were improved by this spinoff were the CAT Scan and the MRI Enriched Baby Formula   While developing life support systems for Mars missions, NASA-funded researchers discovered a natural source for an omega-3 fatty acid that is now incorporated into more than 90 percent of baby formulas on the market.   Winglets Upturned tips of wings known as “winglets.” Winglets are used by nearly all modern aircraft and have saved many billions of dollars in fuel costs. GPS Before NASA, GPS data could be inaccurate by as much as 15 meters (50 feet)due to uncertainty of GPS satellites’ positions, drift in satellite clocks and interference from Earth’s atmosphere. In the 1990s, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) developed software to correct these uncertainties. This technology now supports all the world’s major precision-GPS providers with corrective data, enabling accuracy up to within five centimeters.   Memory Foam Created to keep test pilots cushioned during flights. Today, we use it for beds, couches, chairs, shoes, movie theater seats , and football helmets. Advanced Water Filtration Even though we’ve recently discovered water on the Moon and on Mars, these planets are still considered deserts. Every drop must be recycled and reused. A nanofiber filter created to purify water in orbit aboard the ISS is currently at work on Earth in devices that supply water to remote villages as well as in a water bottle that lets hikers and adventurers gather water from streams and lakes and filter it right there in there bottle. Invisible Braces A company working with NASA invented the translucent ceramic that became “invisible” braces, which went on to become one of the best-selling orthodontic products of all time. Cochlear Implants   Adam Kissiah, an engineer at Kennedy Space Center who was hearing impaired used his NASA experience from work in the Space Shuttle Program to develop a hearing aid that worked by electric impulses rather than sound amplification.   Dustbuster/ Cordless Tools One of the most successful commercial spinoffs of space When astronauts in the Apollo program needed to bring tools far away from the lander, NASA made them cordless tools. All of the screwdrivers you see when you walk into Home Depot exist because of this The most popular spinoff being the Dustbuster cordless vacuum.   Laptop In November 1983, NASA flew a nine-day space shuttle mission that marked the space debut of SPOC, the Shuttle Portable Onboard Computer… or, the first laptop. Since then, computer companies have all used this technology.   Freeze Drying When NASA was creating food for astronauts to eat in space, they worked with Nestle to come up with Freeze Drying – a process that involves dehydration of food to make it more convenient for transport, but is now used commercially with fruit and even insects..   Scratch-resistant Lenses To withstand to harsh environments of space, NASA developed a diamond-like carbon coating for the Astronauts visors. This was eventually spunoff to the sunglasses industry and most higher quality sungalasses are coated with this.   Joystick This computer gaming device was first used on the Apollo Lunar Rover. However, gaming wasn’t it’s first spinoff application. In 1972, a paraplegic named Tom Wertz noticed Apollo astronauts driving the Lunar Rover with the joystick of their time, known as the T-bar. After testing himself, he realized that if this could be adapted to cars, it would help the handicapped population immensely. After nearly 10 years in development NASA and the Department of Veterans Affairs developed a joystick called Unistik, that was installed to control a Ford van. NOT NASA -Mistakenly Attributed Items The following is a list of technologies sometimes mistakenly attributed directly to NASA. In many cases, NASA popularized technology or aided its development, which ultimately resulted in the technology's creation. Tang juice powder - Tang was developed by General Foods in 1957, and it has been for sale since 1959. It was used in the multiple space missions, which gave brand awareness to it. Barcodes - The barcode was invented in 1948. However, NASA developed a type of barcode that could endure in space environments. Space Pen - An urban legend states that NASA spent a large amount of money to develop a pen that would write in space (the result purportedly being the Fisher Space Pen), while the Soviets used pencils. While NASA did spend funds to create a pen to work in space, the project was cancelled due to public opposition, and U.S. astronauts used pencils until the Fisher space pen was invented by a third party. Velcro - Velcro is a Swiss invention from the 1940s. Velcro was used during the Apollo missions to anchor equipment for astronauts; it is used for convenience in zero gravity situations.   CONTEST ENDS THIS WEEK! Subscribe and Review for a chance to win: Space, But Messier! Shirt Space, But Messier! Mug Space, But Messier! Stickers

TIANGONG-1 MONOLOGUE WRITTEN BY CLYDE LEWIS Yesterday was the launch of yet another rocket into space courtesy of Tesla founder Elon Musk. People gathered at Cape Canaveral to witness the launch of SpaceX’s first Falcon Heavy rocket. While the new rockets are always fascinating to watch – this time the rocket’s payload was just as intriguing. Musk launched his own Red Tesla Roadster convertible into space. Musk’s Roadster and its mannequin “driver,” dubbed “Starman,” launched into space from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, as a “mass simulator” aboard SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy test flight. The launch was a huge success, Musk said, leaving only the fate of SpaceX’s Starman and the Roadster up in the air. The act was reminiscent of a scene from the animated classic ‘Heavy Metal’ where, in the opening sequence, a space shuttle drops its payload into space. The payload is a classic corvette convertible with and astronaut at the wheel. Believe it or not the Roadster with Starman at the wheel survived through Van Allen Belts without incident and is now flying in a long, elliptical orbit around the sun. At its farthest point, that orbit extends nearly 243 million miles. For reference, Mars orbits the sun at an average distance of 142 million miles. At their closest point to the sun, Starman and the Roadster will fly just inside Earth’s orbit, according to the diagram. Unsuspecting skywatchers in the Western U.S. caught a glimpse of the rocket’s second stage firing up one last time – and what they were really seeing was Starman blasting into space. Shortly after the second stage initiated this burn, people in the western U.S. began reporting rocket sightings in the evening sky. While SpaceX has not officially confirmed that the images or videos on social media were of the Falcon Heavy, it was the only rocket scheduled to be flying over the Earth at that time and place, so it seems highly unlikely these spectators saw anything else. I have not seen in my lifetime anything as cool as an astronaut flying through space in a red car giving us a close glimpse of planet Earth. The cameras are still working on the car giving us a great view from thousands of miles up. I also thought that it is too bad that David Bowie wasn’t alive to watch this, after all ‘Space Oddity’ is supposedly playing on a loop in the car . Since 1958 there have been some 3750 space launches resulting in nearly 8,000 objects larger than 10cm in orbit around the Earth. Approximately 100 large, manmade objects reenter the Earth’s atmosphere randomly every year. Reentry heating and loads disintegrate each object into a number of fragments that are spread over a long, narrow footprint. On January 22, a 26 foot wide crater was seen just off a rural road in Mexico. Drivers using the Torreón – Saltillo highway were left baffled by a deep smoking hole in the ground that was burning from the inside out. It was 26 feet in diameter and 26 feet deep. There were no fragments near the pit; first responders were unable to climb into the hole because the bottom was burning ground underneath. China has warned the world that their now defunct space station will meet its fiery end as it plunges into planet Earth in March. The Tiangong-1, or Heavenly Palace, is the first Chinese space station launched into orbit in 2011 and is due to fall to earth next month. The Tiangong-1 station will mostly burn up as it plummets through Earth’s atmosphere. Some fragments could survive the fiery reentry. Ground stations have been able to track Tiangong-1 as it speeds along at 16,000 miles an hour some 180 miles above Earth. But as gravity exerts its pull and the station’s orbit decays, it becomes hard to predict the station’s position over the planet. It is being predicted that the debris field may spread across the 43rd degree north parallel. In other words: Somewhere over the Pacific Northwest........ More at Groundzeromedia.org and KXL.com Image: Clyde Lewis

Nathan, Mike, and Mahler tackle sheep, genetically modified skin, dinosaurs, the “Heavenly Palace,” the ozone layer, Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, an “act of war,” Trump in China, Uber Elevate, Blue Tuesday, the Paradise Papers, inequality, AT&T’s choice, chunky soccer moms, and more.

This is Special English. I&`&m Ryan Price in Beijing. Here is the news.China&`&s plans for a permanent space station remain firmly on track with the successful launch of its new heavy-lift Long March 5 rocket that will enable ambitious future missions, including a planned trip to Mars.The Associated Press reports that the towering rocket that blasted off recently will be used to launch components for the Tiangong 2 space station and other massive payloads.China launched the Tiangong 2 precursor facility in September and sent up two astronauts in mid-October to live aboard the space station for 30 days. The station&`&s 20-ton core module will be launched in 2018. The completed 60-ton station is set to come into full service in 2022 and last at least a decade.The Tiangong, or "Heavenly Palace", stations are considered stepping stones to an unmanned mission to Mars by the end of the decade.The Long March 5&`&s next mission will be lofting the robotic Chang&`&e 5 probe to the moon next year to land a rover before returning to Earth with samples.The 57-meter-long two-stage rocket is China&`&s largest, capable of carrying 25 tons of payload into low-earth orbit and 14 tons to the more distant geostationary transfer orbits.This is Special English.Many nations have reached out to China, seeking to play a part in its future manned space station.A senior space industry official from China said there is a wide range of fields suitable for such international collaboration and these prospective cooperation projects will have huge potential.Fu Zhiheng is vice-president of China&`&s Great Wall Industry Corporation, a State-owned enterprise that is China&`&s only authorized firm for international space collaboration. Fu said that in fact, they are in talks with some foreign countries in this regard. He spoke with China Daily on the sidelines of the 11th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai in Guangdong province. Fu said his company has been pushing forward with related efforts. He did not name any of the nations involved. China will start launching parts of its permanent manned space station starting in 2018 and put the space station into service around 2022. You&`&re listening to Special English. I&`&m Ryan Price in Beijing.China has been tightening regulations on pollution control under a revised law that took effect last year. This is a move to protect the environment by introducing harsher punishments and stricter law enforcement.The country&`&s top legislation has issued a report, saying that prosecutors and judges have made significant contributions to the handling of pollution-related cases since the revised law came into effect on Jan 1 last year. Last year, Chinese public security authorities recorded a total of 6,000 pollution-related cases and arrested more than 12,000 suspects, marking a year-on-year increase of 16 and 42 percent respectively. Police, courts and prosecuting departments joined the fight against pollution last year through harsher punishments and stricter law enforcement.Chinese courts at all levels accepted 167,000 environmental disputes from January last year to June this year, of which 148,000 have been concluded. The report said that thanks to the revised law, public-interest lawsuits brought by NGOs have been allowed, with the number of such litigations rising rapidly.This is Special English.State legislators said the central government will need to provide financial support to private schools if a revised law banning them from making a profit is passed.A draft amendment to the law on private education aims to block schools from profiting from tuition fees for children eligible to receive the country&`&s nine-year compulsory education. A member of the National People&`&s Congress Standing Committee said he hopes the government can provide necessary guidance to ensure private schools can keep developing and making a contribution" to the education system. He said the schools have good educational resources and have produced a number of talented students.You&`&re listening to Special English. I&`&m Ryan Price in Beijing.Taking a cue from competing online services which let workers chat and share information on the job, Microsoft is adding a new program called "Teams" to its Office 365 suite of internet productivity software.Analysts say Microsoft is catching up to a trend in which a host of tech companies, including even Facebook, are competing to offer specialized online networks for organizations. The move came as workers increasingly find that email and simple document-sharing services are too limited for communicating and collaborating.Like competing services, Microsoft&`&s new "Teams" product provides a central place online for workplace groups to chat, share files and perform other tasks. But unlike its competitors, Microsoft is offering the ability to easily transition into other widely used Microsoft programs, including Outlook for emails and calendars, and Skype for voice and video conferences.This is Special English.A German music industry group says it has signed an agreement with YouTube on licensing fees for its members&`& work, a deal that should mean far fewer blocked videos for viewers in Germany.GEMA, which represents some 70,000 German composers, songwriters and music publishers, said the agreement with YouTube after seven years of "tough negotiations" will assure its members of payment for the use of copyrighted works. It didn&`&t specify financial details.GEMA said that the agreement covers not just the future but also the period stretching back to 2009.The German group said it and YouTube still have differing views on whether YouTube or the people who upload videos are responsible for licensing works, and called on politicians to "create a clear legal framework".You&`&re listening to Special English. I&`&m Ryan Price in Beijing. You can access the program by logging on to newsplusradio.cn. You can also find us on our Apple Podcast. If you have any comments or suggestions, please let us know by e-mailing us at mansuyingyu@cri.com.cn. That&`&s mansuyingyu@cri.com.cn. Now the news continues.A simple Pap smear may one day offer a way to screen for birth defects a little earlier in pregnancy than today&`&s prenatal tests.In the United States, women typically get a Pap during early pregnancy. Wayne State University researchers report that they can capture enough fetal DNA from the cells that test extracts to check for genetic abnormalities.Researchers say the new study is very small, and much more research is needed. But if the approach eventually pans out, it might be possible to use as early as five weeks into the pregnancy and detect more disorders noninvasively.Aside from better known chromosome abnormalities including Down syndrome, there are around 6,000 other genetic disorders which scientists currently have a hard time to assess noninvasively and as early. Today&`&s main options are invasive tests that analyze a sample of amniotic fluid or placenta tissue. They carry a small risk of miscarriage. A blood test offers a slightly earlier and less invasive option by analyzing small amounts of fetal DNA that float in a pregnant woman&`&s bloodstream. Worrisome results are supposed to be verified by an invasive test. Early diagnosis isn&`&t just about deciding whether to go forward with the pregnancy but can affect prenatal care and what care a baby might need at birth.This is Special English.Hollywood star Johnny Depp is about to enter a world of magic. The actor is set to be part of "Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling&`&s "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" in a secretive role.According to a Warner Brothers&`& representative, Depp will appear in a cameo in the first film, which opens on Nov. 18, and have a bigger role alongside star Eddie Redmayne in the sequel in 2018."Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" is based on Rowling&`&s book of the same name and set 60 years earlier than Harry Potter in 1926 New York. There are five films planned in the Warner Bros. franchise.Depp is no stranger to franchises, having led both the live-action "Alice" films and "The Pirates of the Caribbean", both for Disney.You&`&re listening to Special English. I&`&m Ryan Price in Beijing. Investigators in the United States discovered a third body on the property of a Southern Carolina man who is now linked to seven deaths and the kidnapping of a woman who was found chained inside a storage container.Authorities said 45-year-old Todd Kohlhepp became a suspect after the woman was found chained by her neck and ankle in a metal storage container on his 95-acre property near rural Woodruff.The body of her boyfriend was found a day later. The couple had been missing for around two months.The other remains were found near one another in the following couple days and authorities are not sure who they are. Investigators were expected back at the property, but police said they didn&`&t think there were any more bodies.Following Kohlhepp&`&s arrest, he confessed to a 2003 quadruple slaying at a motorcycle shop in the small town of Chesnee. His confession came a day before the 13th anniversary of the crime, which many feared would never be solved.This is Special English.Four manatees rescued near Florida in the United States have arrived at an Ohio zoo.Officials at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium say two of them are twins rescued after their mother was killed in a boat strike last month in the Florida Keys. They are named Millennium and Falcon.The others were rescued from Outer Clam Bay in Naples and Stuart Canal.As part of the Manatee Rescue and Rehabilitation Partnership, the zoo provides a temporary home for the rescued manatees until they are ready to be returned to the wild.It recently transferred a male manatee rescued in 2014 to the Miami Seaquarium. The animal is expected to be released in Key Largo in January.The International Union for Conservation of Nature says the wild manatee population is decreasing and the species is considered vulnerable.This is Special English.（全文见周日微信。）

Last month, China successfully launched a new space station, the Tiāngōng 2 which means "Heavenly Palace 2". It's 47 feet long and 14 feet wide, designed for a crew of 2, with life support for 30 days.  It's a prototype, part of the People's Republic of China's goal to create a third generation space station similar to the Russian Mir space station.  The Soviet Union built Mir in space over 10 years between 1986 and 1996. Mir was de-orbited in a controlled manner.  This space station is iteration 2 of Tiāngōng 1. Unlike the Mir, this baby coming back down to Earth out of control.  That's right, a year from now the weather prediction somewhere on Earth will be chance of rain of steel. Make sure to dress properly.  Yeah, the odds of hitting a populated area is low.   If you are going to launch something into space, you should probably consider, and maybe even plan for where your junk is going to go.  As of July 2013, there are over 170 million objects orbiting the earth that are under a centimeter in size, 670,00 in the 1 to 10 cm and 29,000 being larger than that. Look up at the night sky, and you will inevitably see 1 of 1419 satellites go by.  Look, going anywhere into space is not easy.  With everything going for it, SpaceX has had it's own disasters.  5 days before China's successful Tiāngōng 2 launch, the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket blew up on the launch pad.  Nobody got hurt, but it was a loss of over a quarter billion dollars.  The explosion took the AMOS-6 satellite with it. This was a Facebook project to provide 14 African countries with free Internet access.  The root cause at this point appears to be the a large breach in the cryogenic helium system.  Some are suspecting sabotage, with an image of an unidentified object near the rocket just before the explosion.  Conspiracy theorists have been liking this one. There is now a video on YouTube showing an unidentified flying object flying past the rocket at the same time as the explosion took place.  Although there was a lot of fire, it really wasn't an explosion, more like a flame that started at the top, rapidly moving down, engulfing the entire rocket.  The YouTube video is called UFO Destroys SpaceX Rocket On Launch Pad. If the object is actually flying over the rocket, It would be just a few feet across in size.  Let's assume that it is for arguments sake.  This thing is really moving, showing up in only seven frames of the video. The explosion takes place just prior to the UFO flying directly over the Falcon 9. This could be explained if the object had fired something at the rocket, right before the fly by.  Let's also assume that the object is not being flown by tiny aliens. This leaves very few possibilities, as to what it can be, other than a drone.  You may think that drones can't go that fast right? Well, considering that some commercial drones can move at over a hundred miles an hour, a custom built one, may very well be able to go much faster.  Again, this is assuming the video isn't a fake.  The implication here is of course sabotage. Yes, it's a leap, but what the hell. Let's see where this takes us.  If it's sabotage, then how, why, who?  Lets start with the why. That one is easy, money. If this is corporate sabotage, thus it's likely about money. Yes, we are taking all kinds of leaps today.  So then who. Who would benefit the most from this hit? Not Facebook. They lost their satellite. In the words of Mark Zuckerberg, "As I'm here in Africa, I'm deeply disappointed to hear that SpaceX's launch failure destroyed our satellite that would have provided so much connectivity to so many entrepreneurs and everyone else across the continent."  The alleged drone looks like it fired something at the rocket, so that would mean it was an armed drone.  So, the scenario now is that a pilot remotely controlled the armed drone and fired something at it while moving at high speed, at precisely the moment when the rocket was vulnerable, and at exactly the right spot to blow it up.  Sounds pretty fantastic doesn't it?  There are excellent drone pilots out there. Just google drone racing, and you will see drone pilots conduct some radical maneuvers at high speed through hoops, obstacle courses, and parking garages.  There are now drone racing leagues cropping up all over the place. It's about to get telivision coverage.  Their drones however are not armed and dangerous.  That would require someone who has both the skills to fly a drone super fast, and simultaneously be able to fire a weapon, targeting a very specific target, at precisely the right time.  An armed drone that can fire something with precision while moving at high speed, sounds like military level expertise.  Or, the drone could be programmed with an AI with one mission in mind. Sounds pretty advanced.  //-What if it's a kid, thinking he or she is playing a video game. Whoa, that opens up a lot more leaps. Enders Game.  Who has military drone capabilities? Countries, like Iran, China, Russia could do it, but why? They want to slow down the American space program, at the risk of looking like wimps for taking the route of sabotage if found out? The motive just isn't there.  Does SpaceX have competitors? Yes, one in particular stands out, United Launch Alliance (ULA).  ULA is a joint venture between Lockhead Martin Space Systems and Boing Defense, Space and Security. Sounds military doesn't it. Military in Space even.  Could we be witnessing corporate star wars? Or maybe it's a military control mindset. We can't have this Elon Musk take over the Universe and hold the world hostage for 1 million dollars.  Let's see, ULA held a monopoly over military launches for over a decade, until SpaceX was awarded a GPS satellite contract to SpaceX earlier this year.  That's right, on April 27th, The US Air Force awarded SpaceX an 83 million dollar contract to launch a GPS satellite. This contract effectively broke ULA's monopoly that Lockhead Martin and Boeing held for over a decade.  If SpaceX rockets keep blowing up, then they would be in a great position to remonopolize, if that's even a word.  By the way, the military GPS contract SpaceX won, won't be launched until May, 2018.  ULA didn't even compete to win the contract. Their Atlas Rocket uses Russian-made engines. This has been an issue since Russia's annexation of Crimea.  SpaceX successfully lobbied to ban the Russian engines.  This opened up a huge market for them.  By banning the Russian engines, ULA would have to use their Delta rockets. These would be 35% more expensive to launch than SpaceX rockets.  The stage is set. ULA vs. SpaceX.  Some think rivalry is healthy, and competition is good. Launching a drone to kill your competition however, would be lame, thus not likely.  SpaceX may now have to mitigate a new risk for future launches. Sabotage from the competition, real or not.  Drone defenses do exist. SkyDroner is a camera that can detect an approaching drone, and can hijack it mid flight, and land it.  Of course, nobody is accusing anyone. This is just a story. It's an awesome story though...  OK, so there is motive, money.  How about Opportunity?  ULA roof is line of sight... OK, enough about ULA, other than to say they've done a great job in supporting the US in space for 50 years. They have a strong code of ethics that would prevent them from engaging in anything like this.  Besides, if it were sabotage, there are other suspects conspiracy theorists are pointing the finger at.  Johny Depp, out of jealousy. Peter Thiel, from a grudge back in the Paypal days. Thanks for the leads Clair McNear.  Jeff Besos could be a suspect. He recently exposed his rocket to prove his is bigger than Elon Musks. Jeff isn't keen on going to Mars. He thinks it's just another gravity well like earth. Getting into space is difficult enough without having to recreate the problem. He would rather see people live on space stations and mine asteroids.  Anyways, it's interesting to speculate. The only thing we know for sure is that a new space race is brewing.  China's space program is about to take advantage of an opportunity. The International Space Station is scheduled to retire in 2024. This would leave China with the only space station in orbit.  Even though their first space station is about to rain down back to Earth, they plan to send more, with the goal of having a fully functional space station in 2024, right when the ISS retires.  China's space station will be the combination of several modules, with several docking ports. They are planning to have a 20 tone module in orbit by 2022. If they succeed they will be the second nation since Russia, to have an orbiting station.  Unlike the International Space Station, China isn't sharing much about the project.  Whatever, the real stars are in the private sector anyways.  Boeing's CEO said earlier this month that he plans on going toe to toe with newcomers such as billionaire Elon Musk in the next era of space exploration and commerce.  He envisions a Jetson-Like future where space-travel happens between continents on Earth in under 2 hours. He also wants to go to Mars first. The race to space is on people. It's a safe bet that we are about to become a multi-planetary species.  This race will open up space like never before. The solar system is going to become our new backyard.  And, while the race is on to own the solar system, others are working on getting us to planets outside our solar system.  Yuri Milner, a Billionaire Russian entrepreneur, venture capitalist and physicist, dropped a $100 million dollars to fund Breakthrough Starshot. The goal is to send a bunch of micro drones to our neighbor star system, Alpha Centauri to hunt for Alien life.  Using solar sails, they would be traveling at 20% the speed of light. This would allow the tiny drones to reach an exoplanet located there called Proxima Centauri B.  This planet is orbiting it's sun in the habitable zone. And, a recent study from the University of Marseilles and the Carl Sagan Institute suggest it may be up to 50% water.  Although the planet is similar to earth in size, it's much closer to it's sun. A solar year is 11 days. Imagine having a birthday every 11 days?  It's sun is a red dwarf which is way smaller than our sun. It may appear in the sky as a permanent red sunset. It's unclear yet if it is rotating fast enough not to always have the same side facing it, but liquid water sounds possible. This also means that alien life could also possible exist on this water world.  The only way to know for sure is to send our very own deep space drones. 

China is challenging America's historical preeminence in space exploration.

China is challenging America's historical preeminence in space exploration.

完整文稿请关注今日微信推送内容，或登录以下网址： http://english.cri.cn/7146/2014/05/23/2582s827936.htm This is NEWS Plus Special English. I'm Yun Feng in Beijing. Here is the news. Wenzhou City in east China has broken up a gang that was providing illegal sex-determination tests, largely for gender selection. The gang tested more than 2,000 women in Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, and some of the women had abortion on the basis of the results. 14 people have been detained so far. One of the main suspects, sir named Chen, worked at a private clinic in Wenzhou. He started offering the illegal tests last year. He collected blood samples of pregnant women who wanted to know the gender of their child. Two female suspects from a neighboring city claimed they were from Hong Kong and the tests were conducted in medical institutions in Hong Kong. Each customer paid 800 yuan, or 130 U.S. dollars, for the test. 35-year-old Chen, his wife and his compliances tested around 300 women, making illegal profits of over 200,000 yuan. In China, sex determination testing, gender-selective procedures and abortions for non-medical purposes are prohibited. A traditional preference for boys over girls results in a largely skewed sex ratio, which stands at 115 boys born for every 100 girls. Worldwide, a normal range should be between 103 and 107. Sex-selective abortions after sex determinations have further fuelled an imbalance. Family planning officials in Wenzhou say the relaxation of birth control rules did not help reverse the skewed sex ratio, as some families qualified for a second child want to know the gender of their second child. This is NEWS Plus Special English. For the second time, Beijing resident Jiang Hai took her 4-year-old son to the annual Beijing Foreign Language Festival, hoping the environment get her son interested in the language. Jiang says that when her son grows up, he will definitely have to communicate with foreigners. So Jiang wants the child learns English as early as possible. The Beijing Foreign Language Festival started in 2002. It emphasizes communication, interactivity and the practical use of foreign languages. For many years, English has been considered one of the three most important subjects in Chinese schools, along with Chinese and Math. Most provinces and cities offer English classes from elementary school, but the tradition of emphasizing English appears to be on the wane. In Beijing, the value of English will be reduced to 100 points from the current 150 in the college entrance exam in 2016. Despite this, more parents like Jiang want their children to start learning English at an early age. Wang Xue is director of an English school for learners as young as 4 years old. The company has been expanding due to the strong demand from parents, as some parents believed English should be taught as early as possible. The cost for learning English is high. A survey late last year by Beijing Foreign Language University showed that in 2012, Chinese parents spent 14 billion yuan, or around 2 billion U.S. dollars, on their children' early English education. According to Wang, the fee for one hour of native speaker's class is around 130 yuan, adding up to about 20,000 yuan for a one-year program. Some schools even offer program worth 40,000 yuan, in which students are taught one to one by a native speaker. You're listening to NEWS Plus Special English. I'm Yun Feng in Beijing. Three Chinese volunteers have finished an experiment, living in an enclosed capsule for three months, eating only laboratory-grown plants and insects. That was China's first human test of the "Moon Palace 1", a 500-cubic meter module that is China's first bio-regenerative life support base. The lab set on the campus of Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics. It is a virtual biosphere, where people can provide food for themselves by cultivating grain, vegetable, fruit and insects. The system can also produce water and fertilizers, process waste and revitalize the air. The system features a cabin and two plant cultivation labs, which is a miniature version of the Earth's biosphere. It can help make it possible for astronauts to live safely in space stations without any deliveries of supplies for long periods. The research team selected five kinds of grain, 15 varieties of vegetable, one kind of fruit, as well as a yellow mealworm which provided protein for the volunteers during the experiment. It is hoped that the life support system can further facilitate China's manned space program. Last June, three Chinese astronauts spent 12 days in Tiangong-1, or Heavenly Palace 1, in the country's longest manned space mission. China's manned space program has entered its second decade with ambitious plans of building a permanent space station and manned lunar probe.

Film director Pou-Soi Cheang, producer Liu Xiaoguang and actor Hai Yitian attended the premiere. The film is adapted from the first of eight chapters of the classical Chinese novel "Journey to the West" written by Wu Cheng'en in the 16th century. The film mainly tells the story of the Monkey King, played by Donnie Yen, who is determined to be a celestial being, as he tries to learn the skill of making the dead come back to life and rebels against the Jade Emperor of Heaven after being seduced by demons. Director Cheang expressed his gratitude to IMAX and his excitement towards his new film. "It should present a different visual effect to audiences. Just now, we mentioned that 3D effects make audiences feel as if there is no screen. With IMAX, the effects are better. It makes the audience more involved in the film. What's more, I want to express my thanks to IMAX for truly presenting my original imaginations and all the pictures. I am really moved that when I was busy with the post-production of the film and wasn't able to go to the U.S., my fellow colleague adjusted each scene of film with IMAX. He told me that it felt totally different and what you wanted to see have been realized in IMAX 3D. So I'm excited and hope movie goers could spend a bit more money to see the IMAX 3D version of the film. " The film stars Donnie Yen, Aaron Kwok, Chow Yun-fat, Peter Ho, Hai Yitian and Xia Zitong. Donnie Yen plays the leading role of Monkey King and Chow Yun-fat plays the role of the Jade Emperor. Commenting on the two famous film stars, film director Cheung said they did an amazing job. "Maybe the Jade Emperor played by Chou Yun-fat is different from the one you imagined. But that role features characteristics of Chou. If another actor played the role, I would not be able to imagine it like this. This time he just holds a sword and becomes a huge dragon. At the time of filming I was not sure about the final effect but it turned out to be great. The two merge into a whole. I thank him a lot. As for Donnie Yen, I could feel his efforts when making the film every day. Every time I saw him act, I knew what I am filming is about the Monkey King. He makes one feel as if he was the Monkey King." Films or TV series about the Monkey King have been made many times before. Liu Xiaoguang, producer of the film told the press that thanks to modern technology, the visual effects are much better in their new film. "To make it straight, the most difficult thing when presenting the image of Monkey King is to separate him from gravity. Before, actors turned somersaults and later they adopted rope wire. The film 'The Monkey King: Havoc in the Heavenly Palace,' actually makes use of modern digital picture technology and separates actors from gravity." The film is to hit screens on January 31st in China and many other countries and regions.