The International Space Station，one of the most ambitious space projects ever and a key launching board for exploration of the solar system，turns l0 years old Thursday． On Nov．20，1998，the first part of the space station was launched by the Russians from Kazakhstan．NASA followed up two weeks later with Piece No 2 carried up by a space shuttle． The space station has grown into a giant outpost(前哨)355 km up，home to three people at any given time—soon to be six  ．Thanks to the newly arrived shuttle Endeavour，the space station now has five sleep stations，two baths，two kitchens and two mini—gyms．Ahogether，there are nine rooms，three of which are full scale labs． The United States has financed the main part of the project，estimated to cost some 100 billion dollars．Fifteen other countries have also contributed，including Russia，Japan，Canada，Brazil anti eleven nations belonging to the European Space Agency． ’Fhe space station has traveled 2．1 billion km，orbited Earth more than 57，300 times，hosted 167 people from 15 countries，and served up more than l 9，000 meals ”The ISS is the largest ever expenmeni in international technological cooperation，’’ said John Logsdon。a historian at the National Air and Space Museum in US． “1 think it’s a necessary stepping stone to long—term human activities in new Areas of operations，”Logsdon said．The station is“off the planet and it’s the first Step outward—not all end in itself，but a step along the way．’’ 小题1:The passage is mainly about ． A the construction of the International Space Station． B．the history of the International Space Station． C the tenth anniversary of the International Space Station． D．the eountries that help establish the International Space Station． 小题2:Piece No 2 of the ISS was put into orbit oil
the International space station according to the passage? A．USA． B．Japan． C．Korea．D．Spain． |