2006年VOA标准英语-Space Shuttle 'Discovery' Launch Set for Saturd

By Jim Bertel
Washington, D.C.
30 June 2006
 
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Shuttle lift off
  
  
The U.S. space shuttle Discovery is set to launch to the International Space Station on Saturday, July 1, in only the second shuttle flight since the Columbia disaster three years ago. Some within the space agency NASA have raised concerns about Discovery's readiness for flight. VOA's Jim Bertel has more on the controversy¹ surrounding Saturday's launch.

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It has been three years since the space shuttle Columbia disintegrated² in the skies over Texas, killing³ the seven astronauts on board. The spacecraft was critically damaged on liftoff when a piece of foam⁴ insulation⁵ weighing less than a kilogram broke off of the external fuel tank and hit the shuttle's left wing.

Since then, NASA has spent hundreds of millions of dollars to modify the fuel tank to prevent a similar accident from happening again. Yet last year, on the first shuttle flight since the accident, foam debris⁶ continued to break free. After further redesign and testing, the shuttle has been given the green light to fly again.  

 
Wayne Hale
  
Shuttle program manager Wayne Hale and other NASA officials believe further improvements are needed. They say it is important to test the changes already made to the shuttle before the next round of improvements. "Every launch has its risks and elements of drama associated with it," Hale said. "This time, as you know, we have made significant improvements to the external tank and we know there are more improvements necessary."

NASA's chief safety officer and chief engineer initially⁷ disagreed with the decision. John Logsdon is the director of George Washington University's Space Policy Institute in Washington, D.C.  "Some engineers and some of the safety people in NASA are concerned that the external tank, the source of foam that doomed⁸ Columbia, still has not been adequately redesigned and that there is a high possibility, maybe even a probability, over a number of missions of a piece of foam coming off that could cause damage," he said.

 
John Logsdon
  
The two dissenting⁹ shuttle officials have since clarified their remarks saying they accept NASA's decision to launch because any foam loss would not endanger the crew. Logsdon says unlike the Columbia accident, there are now procedures in place to inspect the orbiter in space. "There is nothing that can be done during the shuttle launch in ascent¹⁰ if there is a foam strike," he said. "The difference is, compared to the Columbia accident that we will know it. There are cameras everywhere."

If there is severe damage to the shuttle's heat shield tiles, the crew can stay aboard the International Space Station until a rescue shuttle arrives. Discovery astronaut Michael Fossum believes the shuttle is ready to fly. "I won't say we're perfect," he said, "but we're as good as we're going to get and you know, it's gone great, we're really ready and it's exciting to be here within sight of the launch pad at last." 

 
Michael Fossum 
  
During Discovery's 12-day mission, astronauts will practice inspection¹¹ and repair techniques, perform maintenance on the space station and deliver critical supplies. The shuttle also will drop off German astronaut Thomas Reiter to expand the station crew to three for the first time since the Columbia accident. 

If the mission is a success, the first of 16 additional shuttle flights to complete construction of the space station could fly as early as late August. The shuttle fleet is scheduled to be retired¹² in 2010.

1 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

2 disintegrated   

v.（使）破裂[分裂，粉碎]，（使）崩溃( disintegrate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The plane disintegrated as it fell into the sea. 飞机坠入大海时解体了。
• The box was so old;it just disintegrated when I picked it up. 那箱子太破旧了，我刚一提就散了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

4 foam   

v./n.泡沫，起泡沫

参考例句：

• The glass of beer was mostly foam.这杯啤酒大部分是泡沫。
• The surface of the water is full of foam.水面都是泡沫。

5 insulation   

n.隔离；绝缘；隔热

参考例句：

• Please examine the insulation of the electric wires in my house.请检查一下我屋子里电线的绝缘情况。
• It is always difficult to assure good insulation between the electric leads.要保证两个电触头之间有良好的绝缘总是很困难的。

6 debris   

n.瓦砾堆，废墟，碎片

参考例句：

• After the bombing there was a lot of debris everywhere.轰炸之后到处瓦砾成堆。
• Bacteria sticks to food debris in the teeth,causing decay.细菌附着在牙缝中的食物残渣上，导致蛀牙。

7 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

8 doomed   

命定的

参考例句：

• The court doomed the accused to a long term of imprisonment. 法庭判处被告长期监禁。
• A country ruled by an iron hand is doomed to suffer. 被铁腕人物统治的国家定会遭受不幸的。

9 dissenting   

adj.不同意的

参考例句：

• He can't tolerate dissenting views. 他不能容纳不同意见。
• A dissenting opinion came from the aunt . 姑妈却提出不赞同的意见。

10 ascent   

n.(声望或地位)提高；上升，升高；登高

参考例句：

• His rapid ascent in the social scale was surprising.他的社会地位提高之迅速令人吃惊。
• Burke pushed the button and the elevator began its slow ascent.伯克按动电钮，电梯开始缓慢上升。

11 inspection   

n.检查，审查，检阅

参考例句：

• On random inspection the meat was found to be bad.经抽查，发现肉变质了。
• The soldiers lined up for their daily inspection by their officers.士兵们列队接受军官的日常检阅。

12 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。