美国宇航局宇航员为商业太空飞行训练

NASA Astronauts Train for Commercial Space Flights 美国宇航局宇航员为商业太空飞行训练

The American space agency and private companies are developing vehicles to take humans into low Earth orbit and even farther into space.

A space vehicle system called Crew Space Transportation is a part of the effort. Boeing, the aircraft manufacturer, says its CST-100 Starliner will start flying human crews to the International Space Station by the end of next year.

The United States no longer uses its reusable space shuttle to send astronauts into space. The last shuttle flight took place in 2011. Since then, the U.S. space agency has depended on Russian spacecraft to launch crews to the International Space Station.

Boeing and another company, Space X, say they can fly astronauts to low orbits for about $20 million less than the current Russian spacecraft, Soyuz.

Astronauts are already training for commercial spacecraft missions in flight simulators. Vehicle designs and controls have changed since the early days of spaceflight. In the future, astronauts will fly with the help of computer screens that are sensitive to touch.

Eric Boe is an astronaut with NASA.

“You know, it is like learning how to drive a car, except for now you are learning how to drive a spaceship.”

The space agency is using a number of flight simulators. The machinery¹ was developed to help astronauts understand the design of a spacecraft’s cockpit.

The agency, better known as NASA, is developing its new Orion spacecraft and a more powerful rocket, called Space Launch System.

In the future, NASA officials want to let private companies take the lead in low orbit flights. By doing so, they want the space agency to direct its attention on deep space flights, such as the first manned flight to Mars.

Words in This Story

shuttle – n. a vehicle that travels back and forth² between places

spacecraft – n. a vehicle that is used for travel in outer space

simulators – n. machines that are used to show what something looks or feels like and are usually used to study something or to train people

cockpit – n. the area in a boat, airplane or spacecraft where the pilot or driver sits

mission – n. an important operation or program

1 machinery   

n.(总称)机械，机器；机构

参考例句：

• Has the machinery been put up ready for the broadcast?广播器材安装完毕了吗？
• Machinery ought to be well maintained all the time.机器应该随时注意维护。

2 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。