Why do a Translation MA? A Bit of Help for Language Graduates

Last summer I got my BA French from the University of Bristol. Wahooo!! But despite always doing well in my translation classes I’d never been sure what to do next. The last thing I wanted was to be just like thousands of other graduates – floundering around, unemployed, in a cloud of self-pity, while social and political commentators poured their hearts out to me on breakfast news… No, that was not going to be me. That MUST not be me.

So what did I do? Well, having returned from the sausage factory-like degree ceremony/formal sending-off into the fabled ‘real world,’ I set about deciding what I’d been best at over those four years, and what I’d enjoyed. Yes, the French history side of things was good, and the cubism/surrealism/post-modernism stuff was pretty cool too, but none of it really got me going. The one thing (and I mean the ONE thing) that never failed to interest and satisfy me was taking a French sentence, however complex, and making it look like it was first composed in English. That is a skill to take forward. No red pen, no crossings-out by the professor, just that one solitary tick at the end of the line… Magic. I know many of you can relate to that so don’t try to deny it! We’re language geeks. It’s what we do.

In the wake of this revelation I talked to some friends (also language geeks) about what the next step should be. They were keen on translation like me, with some interest in interpreting too. Throughout the final term we had many discussions about what we each wanted to do with our languages, and Masters courses came up almost every time. Bristol offered a distance learning MA in Translation, and I talked to the convenor several times about her course. It sounded so interesting – translation theory, CAT (computer-aided translation) tools, practical translation classes… I wanted to know what else was out there and what options I had to improve myself and build on the skills I already had. How else would I distinguish myself from the crowd? This seemed the perfect way to do it. One year, intensive and stimulating learning, picking up valuable and highly employable skills.

So I started the application process. It took a while – cover letters, course research, references, all to be done by the end of July.

In the end I got a place on the MA Translation Theory and Practice course at UCL. (Almost broke my hand on the kitchen table with the celebratory fist pump…) But what aspects of this course (or ANY Translation MA) make it worth doing? Here are but a few: gain a background in translation theory – allows you to make better informed translation decisions; in-depth knowledge of the way the industry functions; how to market yourself as a translator; advanced instruction on the use of various translation memory tools – essential for making a good living as a translator; advanced language-specific translation classes; subtitling experience; careers advice lectures and seminars… the list goes on!

Having stood at the edge of post-graduation oblivion, I am now learning to do what I love, with massively improved employment prospects at the end of the academic year. But please don’t be fooled. Education alone will not guarantee success. You have to do more. Here are a few things I have done in the last few months to try and boost my prospects:

(step 0 – ensure the funds are available to pay for the course! This might be a draw back for many of us, but it will pay off, guaranteed)

1) create an online translation portfolio (which you have now kindly visited!)
2) email every translation company and agency under the sun for internships, with a brief cover letter and copy of your CV – must get yourself out there EARLY
3) apply for membership of a professional translation body – CIOL, ITI etc – this will draw in clients and give them more initial trust in your ability
4) NETWORK – use sites like LinkedIn to get your name out there and get in touch with seasoned professionals. Twitter is also good for publicising your portfolio posts.
5) always follow the advice of guest lecturers/speakers – these guys are usually highly experienced and know what they’re talking about
6) remember, maintain and build on your own areas of interest – a specialism is a valuable thing to have. The easiest way to develop one is to build up experience of translating in a field you already have some background in. That might be sport, politics, art etc.

People tell you that a degree is a great thing to have, that it makes you more employable and gives you valuable skills that set you apart from the rest. The fact is that now, thousands of people are graduating every year with the same research skills, the same independence, the same organisational skills, and the same great communication skills. Frankly I am sick of the word ‘skills’ because everybody has them. What we as young graduates need is a specialism that makes us indispensable. Excellence at degree level translates as mediocrity in the professional world. Establish what you’re good at; take it to a higher level and EXCEL.
For the language geeks among us, a translation MA is the way to go.

James Shields.

 

Max Mosley’s “Nazi Orgies” face the French Justice System (21/09/11)

The ex-president of the FIA, who got himself mixed up in the sadomasochistic orgies scandal, has lodged a complaint against the News of the World in France.

The affair gave News of the World one of its most famous cover stories, with an ‘unforgettable’ title: “F1 BOSS HAS SICK NAZI ORGY WITH 5 HOOKERS.” The (hardly) remorseful tabloid which redressed its position when it was shut down in July, in true free media-fashion, re-reported the, “F1 boss’s unhealthy Nazi orgies with five prostitutes.” On March 30^th 2008, News of the World had published a number of images taken from a video showing the then President of the FIA, Max Mosley, willingly engaged in sadomasochistic acts with streetwalkers dressed as soldiers. On Tuesday, the 70 year-old Brit asked the French justice system to impose sanctions upon the paper for, “Slander,” and, “Invasion of private intimacy.”

The former head of the federation founded in Paris at the start of the 20^th Century will see his case against News International – the company that owned News of the World which was shut down following the phone hacking scandal – examined today by the 17^th correctional tribunal chamber in Paris. Mosley had already gone through the French justice system in April 2008 to get the publication of images of him banned in the country. The judge then declared himself unable to see the case through, arguing that it was up to the High Court of Justice in London to settle the matter. The F1 boss won his case a few months later on July 24^th 2008 before a London tribunal. The court ordered the newspaper to pay Mosley £60,000 worth of damages (€76,000 at the time), as well as £420,000 of legal fees (€532,000), which was the highest sum ever agreed in the UK for an invasion of privacy.

Mosley, son of the head of the British Fascists

The judgement underlined the seriousness of the scandal. Yet the tabloid went on to describe the sadomasochistic actions of the head of the powerful FIA with the prostitutes, who he described as being dressed in camouflage or as concentration camp prisoners. The controversy was greater even than that of Max being the son of Oswald Mosley – founder and leader of the British Fascist Party, supporter of the Nazi regime in the 1930s – “Son of Hitler-loving fascist in sex shame,” was News of the World’s headline… In response to this, Max Mosley denied all Nazi connections and spoke out about the scandal surrounding the violation of his private life. But the revelations ultimately cost him his prestigious job. Numerous people, including a few high-ranking members of the FIA, voiced their opinion that he should resign, but the federation showed renewed confidence in him during an extraordinary meeting. Mosley served his term to its end in November 2009, but didn’t claim his leaving bonus.

Last May, Max Mosley was denied his petition against the UK by the European Court of Human Rights, which he accused of having insufficiently protected his private life. Max Mosley’s hope was that newspapers would, in future, be obliged to inform people in advance that details of their private lives were set to be publicised. Evoking the dissuasive aspect of a system of prior notification, regarding all forms of information, the Court concluded that the British tribunals had found a fair balance of respect of people’s privacy and the freedom of expression. Even though the jurisdiction of the European Council recognised that the, “Conduct of the newspaper in this affair has been subject to severe criticism,” it stated that the publication of such information, “whether it is mostly intended to amuse or to educate, benefits undoubtedly from article 10,” of the European Convention of Human Rights which protects the freedom of expression.

Source text written by Clément Mathieu. See the full French article here: http://www.parismatch.com/People-Match/Sport/Actu/Les-orgies-nazies-de-Max-Mosley-devant-la-justice-francaise-334843/

 

The New Gold Rush (05/09/11)

Demand for the precious metal is peaking throughout the world. From Europe to the USA, to Asia and India, Paris Match has conducted a survey on all fronts.

“Do you sell gold?” With a motorbike helmet in his hand, a twenty-eight year-old mechanic from Vélizy arrived in Paris, on Vivienne Street behind Bourse Square, with 2,000 Euros in his pocket. He prefers to buy gold rather than, “placing money in an unreliable savings account.” So he is, “Trying to catch people he sees leaving upmarket boutiques, who he thinks might be able to sell him some gold, hand-to-hand.” In the open markets in August, traders noticed a renewed interest in the yellow metal. Instead of tourists exchanging currency, they’ve been seeing no end of men and women of all ages and social classes, looking to buy gold and secure their savings.

Remarkably busy behind her counter, Karine says that, “Business is booming. People are getting frustrated in the queue! Others even try calling me from their holiday locations to carry out transactions.” And there are those who prefer to buy and sell online and by post. Nevertheless, the French taste for gold – they have the largest amount of gold in the world, weighing 3,500 tons – has lessened. Everything changed following the collapse of Lehman Brothers in 2008 and the economic crisis. Staffs at French credit and gold experts company CPoR explained that, “We saw a huge purchasing rise in April, at the time of the Greek crisis.” The French gold specialist said that since July 15^th they had recorded a surge in gold handling activity of 50%. It needed the last financial crisis for gold to once again assume its role as a means of safe investment.

Fears of the Euro Zone exploding and of a return to recession, and the lowering of the USA’s credit rating…

So what brought about this change? The reasons are well-known: Fear of the Euro Zone collapsing as a result of its member nations’ national debts, fear of a return to recession in developed nations, inflationary pressure in emerging nations and – an significant trigger mechanism – Standard and Poor’s historic lowering of the USA’s credit rating. Gold lost its lustre in the 1980s to the benefit of the stock markets and housing market, and importantly in the summer of 1971, Richard Nixon announced that the US dollar could no longer be converted into gold. Until now, nothing had managed to send prices skywards. Not even the stock market crash in 1987, or the fall of the Berlin Wall, or the collapse of the USSR, or the September 11^th attacks…

…And the price of gold shoots up

With an increase of 160% since October 2008, 20% of which occurring over the last three months, the price of an ounce of gold in New York is once again a good indication of the level of people’s fear. August saw another record broken, with gold reaching $1,816 per ounce. That equates to almost $60 for one gram of the highly sought after metal. Ten years ago this would have been unthinkable. Analysts would have assured us that capitalism would have to disappear, if gold were to be what we’d turn to as a last resort!

Investors, particularly the professionals, are rediscovering the precious metal. For the first time in thirty years, more gold has been sought out for investment than for jewellery. Lysu Paez-Cortez, a precious materials analyst at Natixis, says that, “The massive recent increases reflect a clear feeling of uncertainty, accentuated by the massive Russian financial movements and by the fears of global economic meltdown. In November 2010, the massive injection of liquid assets into the markets by the American Federal Reserve prompted investors to turn to gold.”

Investors everywhere are trading life insurance plans and bank notes for gold ingots, coins and jewellery… to the point of London’s strongrooms becoming saturated and rent prices climbing. Local press in Thailand reported new about the President of the Gold Negotiations Association. Jitti Tangsithpakdi is enthusiastic: “Gold ingots are selling like hot cakes! Shops are running out.” In France, the Paris Mint can be proud of having minted more than 200,000 gold Euro coins since 2008. The value of the first one hundred Euro coins has risen by 50% over three years. And the day after it was put into circulation last April, the golden one thousand Euro coin (of which 10,000 were minted) was already worth close to 1,300 Euros on the internet. Each time they come out, these rare coins sell within three days.

Gold fever grips the Chinese

Director General of the Paris Mint, Christophe Beaux, explains the situation: “The passion is palpable. Customers of all social backgrounds are not hesitating to draw money from their savings accounts to get hold of golden Euros. These coins are valuable for three reasons. They are made from a precious metal, and as such their value fluctuates with that of the raw material. They also have a face value (the amount written on the coin itself) which assures a minimum trade value. And they are rare, because only a limited number were minted. This also gives them a high value in collectors’ eyes.” The fever is even gripping the Chinese, encouraged by the authorities. Lysu Paez-Cortez adds that, “Many private investors are buying gold: At the beginning of the year the State authorised the holding of funds in the form of precious metals. Sales of coins and ingots to investors reached 90 tons in the first quarter of 2011, which represents a rise of 123%!”

Moreover, for the first time the Chinese are competing with the Indians for the title of greatest global consumer of gold. But the bar is high! Gold finery cannot be ignored at Hindu marriage ceremonies. The majority of yearly sales occur during marriage season, between December and April. The World Gold Council has done its calculations. Fifty percent of the Indian population is aged below twenty-five and 150,000,000 marriages take place each year. This must be the reason behind the sale of 500 tons of gold each year! The demand for gold takes the lion’s share of global stocks. Last year there was a total of 168,300 tons of gold in the world… of which jewellery constituted the majority (84,100 tons). The rest of the stocks were divided between investment funds and the banks (31,400), industry (20,200) and the central banks (29,000).

The time when the large western central banks would get rid of gold to garnish their currency reserves is now a bygone era. In 2010, for the first time in twenty-one years, they bought more gold than they sold. Emerging countries, swamped with liquid assets, bought gold to reduce their dependence on the dollar. Thus, in the first quarter of 2011 almost 99 tons of gold were bought by Mexico, 48 tons by Russia and South Korea has just helped itself to 25 tons: Hong Taeg-ki, the man responsible for the management of reserves, recently explained the nation’s actions: “This safety net will help us face the volatility of the global financial markets and breed investors’ confidence in South Korea in times of crisis.”

When will the price of gold cease to increase? As great as the current rate of increase might be, the price of gold has not yet reached the levels attained in January 1980, the day after the invasion of Afghanistan by Soviet troops. At that time it reached $850, which equates to $2,100 today. Forecasters are sweating over this. Lysu Paez-Cortez affirms that, “As long as the governments don’t manage to stabilise the markets, prices will remain high and liable to change. But the current price records are the result of a bubble fed by liquidity, and we think we are close to the point at which prices will start to drop again. In the short term, it is still possible for prices to rise. We estimate that the cost of an ounce of gold could reach an average of $1,550 by the end of 2011 if the economic situation does not improve, and an average price of $1,300 in 2012.” At Goldman Sachs they anticipate a peak in 2012 of around $1,900. At JP Morgan, they are going so far as to bet that an ounce of gold will reach $2,500 by the end of this year!

The more that prices soar, the more gold will be mined. And, with 2,823 tons predicted for this year (5% more than last year) according to Natixis, it is evermore unlikely that demand will be met. China has been the global superpower in this domain since 2007, ahead of Australia and the USA. China alone is responsible for the majority of gold production. Mines everywhere are once again becoming profitable. In the USA, there is a new rush for Californian gold. In Canada, mines are reopening. In the Yukon for example, the Brewery Creek mine ceased to function because of the fall of the price of gold. However, nine years and a change of ownership later, the price of gold is five times higher and they are now once more able to operate and make a profit.

In Venezuela, President Chavez has announced the nationalisation of gold

In Abitibi, Québec, eight hours’ drive north of Montreal, the Canadian Malartic site has just been reopened. There is a sense of déjà-vu: more than 1,000,000 ounces of gold have already been extracted from the old underground mine, which previously functioned between 1935 and 1965. Its owner, Osisko, hopes to produce an average of 630,000 ounces each year, over the course of more than twelve years. With the cost of extracting one ounce of gold currently at around $300, Osisko’s Director General could congratulate himself at the start of August for the, “Very favourable-looking gold market.” Sean Roosen declared that, “The sound predicted profit margins should allow for investments to be paid off in just under two years.” In Venezuela, the world’s fifteenth largest gold reserve, President Hugo Chavez undoubtedly made the same judgement. He has just announced the nationalisation of gold. This law was created so that the country might have a hand in, “The finding and exporting,” of the precious metal. Colombia wants to double its mining industry over five years, by leaving the door wide open to international mining companies. The Colombian people are worried about the environment, with the mining threatening to pollute the neighbouring rivers which are essential for agricultural production.

More than 12,000 kilometres away, the same fears plague the inhabitants of Djermouk in Armenia, where the exploitation of an open-cast gold mine has just begun. In Romania, a project aimed at opening another mine in Rosia Montana, in the Carpathian mountains, is spreading fear among residents. A Canadian society has been trying to reclaim 300 tons of gold (and 1,400 tons of silver) for sixteen years. The extraction would threaten a roman archaeological site, and it would be done with the aid of cyanide. Nobody has forgotten the ecological catastrophe of Baia Mare in January 2000. A burst dam lead to 100,000 cubic metres of water contaminated with cyanide pouring from the storage lake of a mine, into every water course in the region. The ecosystem was destroyed, the drinkable water was polluted, thousands of fish died and certain species were wiped out entirely.

Survey by Valentine de Panafieu

Source text written by Anne-Sophie Lechevallier. See the full French article here: http://www.parismatch.com/Actu-Match/Economie/Actu/La-nouvelle-ruee-vers-l-or-326867/

 

Is the English ‘Mafia’ behind the Riots? (13/08/11)

Dominic Noonan, the famous face of English organised crime, was seemingly directly managing the riots on the streets of Manchester.

Tens of youths from working-class areas, but also the daughter of a millionaire, a young estate agent, a Baptist preacher, a primary school teacher, a social worker, a future ballerina, children from ten to twelve years old… On each day of rioting, almost a week ago, England was surprised to discover who the people were behind the scarves. Equally surprised was London newspaper The Telegraph, which noticed a well-known person among the looters. In a video broadcast on YouTube, and replayed on the paper’s website, we can clearly see Dominic Noonan – leader of the top gang in Manchester – in amongst the rioters.

Built like a scrum half, bald and wearing small glasses, Noonan is probably England’s best known figure of organised crime. At forty-five years old, and having spent twenty-two of those years in prison, he has been put away over forty times for crimes ranging from armed mugging, to fraud, to tax evasion. Found guilty of murder several times, he has always been acquitted following the disappearance of the witnesses… In 2006, the Mancunian became known to the public after being followed for three years by the famous British reporter Donal McIntyre. He made a striking documentary about Noonan – ‘A Very British Gangster’ – a portrayal of this atypical, overtly homosexual gangster, renowned for his social work and greatly feared for use of extreme violence.

Was Dominic Noonan controlling the Manchester riots?

In the video shot on the first day of the Manchester riots, we can see the gangster in his usual dark-coloured suit and white shirt, speaking to a young man holding flat screen television. Noonan, whose teams generally consist of young men, seemed at ease in the middle of the chaos, to the extent that he even appeared to be giving advice. Witness statements quoted in The Telegraph confirm the sighting of him during the riots on King Street, the wealthiest street in Manchester. When he wasn’t on his mobile, he was talking to looters. He was accompanied by two suited teenagers who were spending their time sending text messages. Noonan was arrested on Thursday. Peter Fahy, head of the Greater Manchester Police, said he thought the looting was organised and planned. According to the police, had anarchy reigned many rioters would have specifically targeted certain shops, and made sure to steal the most expensive items first. As it was, the Swarovski and Links window displays were the first to be targeted, each of which were systematically smashed to obtain bracelets and necklaces of gold, silver and diamonds.

Duggan, whose death triggered the riots, was like a brother to Noonan

Using the chaos to fill one’s pockets. This comes as no surprise when you’re talking about a criminal of Noonan’s calibre. However, more surprising in hindsight are the links between Noonan, his brother Dessie and Mark Duggan, whose death sparked the English riots. According to the British press, the latter was the nephew of Desmond Noonan, known as ‘Dessie,’ a gangster like his brother, with declining mental health… An unstable professional killer and crack addict, stabbed to death by his dealer in 2005, Dessie had contributed – with more than twenty murders, including that of the head of the main rival gang – to making the Noonans the Kingdom’s main criminal family. A family which he describes as, “Untouchable,” whose troops are, “bigger,” and who have, “more weapons than the police,” in ‘A Very British Gangster.’ Dessie died during the filming of the documentary. He had married his second wife Julie, Mark Duggan’s aunt. After their divorce in 1993, the young man who died last week at the age of 29 had apparently stayed in close contact with his uncle and his brothers.

A journalist for the Sun explained that, “They took Mark under their wing, they loved him a lot, not only as a nephew, but as an accomplice.” According to the English media Duggan was going to see the Noonans in Manchester, and when the aforementioned family came to London, they visited him. If the link between the Noonans and Duggan seemed to be strong, there is nothing as yet to suggest that the family had anything to do with the start of the first riot in Tottenham, which followed the protest march for the young man’s death. Be that as it may, the information will feed the split feelings towards Mark Duggan in the eyes of the English public. The media states that he is described either as, “Starrish Mark,” the drug dealer at the centre of the ‘Star Gang’ of North London, or as the father of a family, saddened along with his wife by a still-born daughter. Placed under surveillance and arrested by the police for fear that he might avenge his associate, he was wrongly killed after a policeman’s radio was shot. Duggan was well-armed, but the shot came from an MP5 submachine gun, used by the London police. The police investigation continues in an effort to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the death.

Source text written by Clément Mathieu. See the full French article here: http://www.parismatch.com/Actu-Match/Monde/Actu/Derriere-les-emeutes-la-mafia-anglaise-322331/

 

A new international Paedophile Network brought down (06/08/11)

The American Justice Minister has announced that a large paedophile network has been dismantled. It had been active in about fifteen countries, including France. Seventy-two people were charged, resulting in fifty-two arrests.

The fruits of an enquiry lasting almost two years have been revealed. On Wednesday evening the American Justice Minister announced that no fewer than fifty-two people had been arrested after the dismantling of a vast paedophile network. It was a network that operated freely across the US borders. The arrests were effectively made in fourteen different countries. From Qatar to the Philippines, through Kenya and France, five continents were involved. The first details revealed, with regard to the methods that the site creators and members used, send a chill up one’s spine. These details were expanded upon in a statement by the US General prosecutor, Eric Holder. “The members of this criminal network shared the project, bent on creating an online community designed to promote the sexual exploitation of children.”

While sending pictures and videos of abuse carried out on boys and girls of twelve years and over, they had developed a sound and clearly stated ideology: “Sexually assaulting children is acceptable behaviour and should not be criminalised.” Called ‘Dreamboard,’ the site threatened members who did not upload enough material with exclusion, and offered ‘VIP Status’ to the most prolific contributors. The site’s administrators encouraged internationalisation, and the regulations were published in English, Russian, Spanish and Japanese. The task of those conducting the inquiry was made harder by certain ‘precautions’ taken by the site’s most loyal members, in an effort to avoid public identification. They even used certain types of encryption
software, operated under false identities and changed their IP addresses using special servers.

Twenty people still wanted

Thus passed the year and nine months since the inquiry was opened, in December 2009. Named ‘Operation Delego,’ it required the collaboration of tens of police forces around the world, from Eurojust (the European justice cooperation organisation), and various American authorities. The Ministry also announced that of the fifty-two arrested, thirteen have pleaded guilty and four have already stood trial on American soil, with sentences up to thirty years in prison. So there now remain twenty people, charged but still wanted. For the moment, only their ‘Dreamboard’ pseudonyms are known. A successful inquiry thus far, but definitely not yet closed.

Source text written by Antoine Delthil. See the full French article here: http://www.parismatch.com/Actu-Match/Monde/Actu/Un-nouveau-reseau-pedophile-international-demantele-320027/

 

Requiem for Atlantis (21/07/11)

Great emotion. The American shuttle landed today at Cape Canaveral, Florida, bringing a thirty year programme of manned flights to an end.

One hundred and thirty-five completed missions. Three hundred and fifty astronauts sent in to space. One hundred and eighty satellites placed in orbit. Five shuttles – Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis and Endeavour – with destinies sometimes marked by tragedy – Challenger, in 1986, and Columbia, in 2003, both disintegrated during flight and fourteen team members were lost. Since 1981, NASA has made children and adults alike dream with their ambitious programme of manned flights, development of new technologies and active participation in the construction of the International Space Station. So it was with a pang of the heart, and many held back tears, that the shuttle Atlantis was welcomed upon its return to Earth this morning, at 05:57 local time, after a final mission of precisely 12 days, 18 hours, 28 minutes and fifty seconds. Captain Chris Ferguson – the crew of this final flight was reduced to four people – didn’t hide his emotions upon his return to Earth. “We hope that all those who have ever worked, watched or admired a space shuttle, were able to experience a small part of the journey with us,” he explained after the traditional, “Mission accomplished, Houston.”

Barry Wilmore, head of operations in the control tower at Cape Canaveral, thanked the crew and the famous shuttle. “We are going to take this opportunity to personally congratulate you Atlantis, along with the thousands of passionate citizens of this nation captivated by space, which created this incredible shuttle, which has inspired millions of people over the course of the last thirty years.” Charles Bolden, NASA administrator, has personally declared his pride in having brought this ultimate symbolic mission, governed by precise routine, to a conclusion. Built in 1984, Atlantis has never failed, travelling 202.67 million kilometres in over 307 days in space and 33 missions. The history of the shuttle runs parallel with that of humanity: the sending of space probes to Venus (Magellan) and Jupiter (Galileo) in the 1980s; participation in the defence programme within the framework of Ronald Reegan’s ‘War of the Stars’ in the final stages of the Cold War; mutual aid with the Russians as part of the Mir-Shuttle programme after the fall of the Soviet Union.

And now?

For budget reasons – referring to an annual operational cost of four billion dollars – is NASA therefore provisionally abandoning the business of orbital transport, to concentrate on new missions? On its official site, the American space agency details its main projects for the future, affirming that they do not mean to relinquish global leadership to their Russian competitors, the Europeans or maybe soon the Indians or Chinese. NASA has announced that they plan to conceive and construct a heavy transport system and a shuttle with a primary objective of sending astronauts to Mars. To do this, they are exploring new technologies, among which is solar-powered propulsion. The International Space Station (ISS) is equally at the centre of these new projects. The site re-iterates the fact that she can accommodate six people, and that the American astronauts will continue to live and work there 24 hours per day, 365 days per year. A part of the American portion of the station has been designated as a national laboratory, and NASA is engaged in using this resource solely for scientific research. Mike Suffredini, head of the American space agency, enthusiastically declared that, “This research will benefit humanity and our planet. Even today we still have no idea of the things we will learn, thanks to the ISS.” In this way the ISS could help advance emerging technologies such as independent refuelling of space vehicles, advanced resuscitation systems and human/robot interfaces. Just one snag for NASA though: they will still have to co-operate with their ‘Russian partner’ to get their astronauts to the ISS, averaging 50 million dollars a time, per person. The American space agency is counting on flights being financed by private enterprises in order to lower to the cost by 2015.

The third point that NASA is paying particular attention to is the large number of scientific missions, including the exploration of a huge asteroid – which has been going on since July 16th last year – with the aim of gaining a better understanding of the history of the Solar System. In August, the spaceship Juno will be analysing Jupiter’s atmosphere. The agency is also targeting a return to the Moon, with a primary objective of studying its gravitational field. The fact remains that in Florida and Houston they are still financially restricted. These are sombre times since Barack Obama’s announcement in early 2010 that the Constellation programme was being abandoned (the programme that was to send Americans to once again set foot on the Moon), and financially hard times as well. Numerous NASA employees are considering leaving the site at Cape Canaveral to join the private companies which have become involved in the space race. In a fascinating article, Romain Clergeat told Paris Match of his latest space-conquering ventures. Richard Branson, who is attempting to revive this technological challenge with Virgin Galactic, had explained the historical significance of NASA’s abandonment of the shuttle programme. He explained that, “At first, transatlantic flight was a pleasure enjoyed by the wealthy, and now it has changed the face of humanity. Today there are millions of passengers travelling around the world. It will be the same for our project. The transport of cheaper satellites will benefit everybody. President Obama recognises this fact. For each shuttle launch NASA spends 1 billion dollars. For this price we have created an entire space enterprise.” If the space story is not yet completed, a new chapter is about to begin.

 

Source text written by Yannick Vely. See the full French article here: http://www.parismatch.com/Actu-Match/Environnement/Actu/Requiem-pour-la-navette-Atlantis-Nasa-316191/

 

The journey begins!

Before I start posting my translations, I have to find some interesting source texts to use. So that’s exactly what I’m doing now! There are no end of interesting stories circulating through the world’s media at the moment: The death of Amy Winehouse, the political unrest in Libya, as well as all the major sport stories, including the lifetime ban from football served to Fifa presidential candidate Mohamed Bin Hammam. No doubt the researchers at Paris Match will ensure the majority of the major stories are covered, so we wait to see what they make of them all!

Translations take time, so there will be a steady but reliable flow of articles being added. Any suggestions of topics or stories I could use will be gratefully received.

Now on with the research!