RESCUE FROM SPACE

1. The tests of the international space search-and-rescue system COSPAS-SARSAT have been going on for five years. Its members are Russia, the USA, France and Canada. Specialists believed that all these years would be spent on technically improving the system.

2. But somewhat unexpectedly for its makers the COSPAS-SARSAT system got down immediately to the fulfilment of its direct duties - rescuing people in distress. The first stellar rescuer is known to be Russian satellite Kosmos-1383, equipped with a radio-electronic complex for detecting the signals of ships and aircrafts.

3. Today three satellites - two Russian and one American - are already in operation. The system having demonstrated excellent performance in actual distress situations, we'll continue to cooperate more widely in its application.

4. Soon there will be ten stations for receiving distress information: three in Russia, three in the USA. and one each in Canada, France, Britain and Norway. By 1983 the COSPAS-SARSAT system had already saved 120 people.

5. Considerable attention in Russian space programme is paid to researches aimed at solving problems for national science and economy. A great deal of scientific-technical and medical-biological experiments have been carried out. Numerous data concerning the earth's national resources, the atmosphere and seasonal changes are gathered. Biological experiments with the aim of developing the technology of growing plants in space conditions are continued. These experiments and data are of great practical importance.

5. Прочтите 5-й абзац текста и ответьте письменно на следующий вопрос:

What is the aim of biological experiments carried out in space?