Space Exploration And The Role of Aerospace Translation

Much of the universe is a mystery to us. Humans have made it their mission to learn out more about its secrets. Since this is an international task involving people from different countries, clear communication is essential, requiring the role of aerospace translation services.

The First Lunar Landing And The Role Of Aerospace Translation

Language services have always been vital to space exploration. In 1969, what was long believed to be impossible became reality. NASA sent three of their astronauts up to space and onto the lunar’s surface. An estimate of 650 million people around the world gathered around their televisions to witness this historic moment. “[It was] one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind“ was the proclamation with which Neill Armstrong had marked his first ever step onto the moon’s surface, a moment to be remembered by generations to come.

Communication facilitated by translation and localization services was key to the success of the mission. The scientific advancements required to put a man on the moon were an international effort. Even though this mission is entirely an American triumph, countries like Australia, Canada, Germany and Switzerland made valuable contributions such as timepieces, and engineering or architectural knowledge. For the knowledge of these countries to be shared globally, translation and interpreting services played an essential role.

The ISS And The Role Of Aerospace Translation

Continuously occupied since 2000 by five space agencies from 15 countries, the International Space Station (ISS) has become home to many living and working there, orbiting the Earth every 90 minutes. The ISS serves as a science laboratory where several nations work together to maintain our ongoing presence in space. Onboard, crew members conduct research that can be applied to create new technologies on Earth. This is where translation and interpreting services play an essential role. Flights to the ISS are provided by the Russian Soyuz capsule. Because American and Russian astronauts work on the station, Interpreters stationed on the ground allow the astronauts to communicate effectively when docking the spacecraft and while completing their important experiments.

How NASA Uses Interpreting Services

Ensuring the safety of astronauts in the harsh vacuum of space is a difficult undertaking. In 2013, NASA led a spacewalk in which a European astronaut’s helmet started to fill up with water, damaging his communication system Because the astronaut spoke English, Russian Mission Control could only rely on their interpreter to decipher what happened through the power of Russian translation. Luckily, the astronaut was able to make it back to the station before the helmet became completely filled. Clearly, communication is vital in space in order to troubleshoot the inevitable problems posed by space travel.