VOA慢速英语2015 NASA Working Toward Mission to Mars

NASA Working Toward Mission to Mars

The head of the National Aeronautics¹ and Space Administration, or NASA, said that the space agency is on track to land people on Mars in the 2030s.

Charles Bolden is the administrator² for NASA. He said that five years ago, President Obama set that goal for the space agency.

Speaking at the Humans to Mars Summit 2015, Bolden said “This plan is clear, this plan is affordable³ and this plan is sustainable.”

Buzz Aldrin was the second man to step on the moon. He is retired⁴ from NASA but is working to get humans to Mars. He told the summit that “we need to stimulate⁵ the public to be supportive” of a U.S. mission to Mars. The program, Mr. Aldrin said, needs to develop in a series of stages, or steps, over several years.

NASA engineer Bret Drake said that is the idea that several private companies have offered.

Explore Mars, Inc., is the group that organized the Humans to Mars summit last week. The group released a study on the steps required to send people to Mars.

They are a new Space Launch System, Orion spacecraft, a deep space environment for astronauts to live in, and new methods for entry, descent and landing. Other new technologies needed are solar electric propulsion for power and a vehicle that could land people on Mars.

NASA is already working with private partners to develop the technology needed to get humans to Mars. They are working to develop advanced propulsion and habitation—where and how people will live on Mars once they get there.

One example is Lockheed Martin’s Stepping Stones plan. It calls for beginning flights to the International Space Station using today’s vehicles and Orion spacecraft. Later flights will land on Deimos, one of Mars’ two moons.

Last week NASA also announced a “Journey to Mars Challenge.” The agency is asking for ideas from the public on how to get people to Mars and how they can stay. The ideas could be about shelter, food, water, breathable air, communication, exercise, social relations and medicine. NASA said people are “encouraged to consider innovative⁶ and creative elements beyond these examples.”  

The Mars rovers Curiosity and Opportunity are already providing much information as they move across the Martian surface. It is already known that at one point in time Mars had conditions that could have supported life. 

NASA’s Charles Bolden said that Mars “just might help us to unravel⁷ the age old mystery about whether life exists beyond Earth.”

Words in This Story

summit - n. a series of meetings

sustainable - adj. able to last for a long time

stimulate – v. to make people excited or interested

propulsion – n. the force that moves something forward

descent – n. moving downwards⁸

solar – adj. having to do with the sun

challenge – n. to invite someone to compete in competition

innovative – adj. new ideas about something

unravel – v. to find the correct explanation for something

1 aeronautics   

n.航空术，航空学

参考例句：

• National Aeronautics and Space undertakings have made great progress.国家的航空航天事业有了很大的发展。
• He devoted every spare moment to aeronautics.他把他所有多余的时间用在航空学上。

2 administrator   

n.经营管理者，行政官员

参考例句：

• The role of administrator absorbed much of Ben's energy.行政职务耗掉本很多精力。
• He has proved himself capable as administrator.他表现出管理才能。

3 affordable   

adj.支付得起的，不太昂贵的

参考例句：

• The rent for the four-roomed house is affordable.四居室房屋的房租付得起。
• There are few affordable apartments in big cities.在大城市中没有几所公寓是便宜的。

4 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。

5 stimulate   

vt.刺激，使兴奋；激励，使…振奋

参考例句：

• Your encouragement will stimulate me to further efforts.你的鼓励会激发我进一步努力。
• Success will stimulate the people for fresh efforts.成功能鼓舞人们去作新的努力。

6 innovative   

adj.革新的，新颖的，富有革新精神的

参考例句：

• Discover an innovative way of marketing.发现一个创新的营销方式。
• He was one of the most creative and innovative engineers of his generation.他是他那代人当中最富创造性与革新精神的工程师之一。

7 unravel   

v.弄清楚（秘密）；拆开，解开，松开

参考例句：

• He was good with his hands and could unravel a knot or untangle yarn that others wouldn't even attempt.他的手很灵巧，其他人甚至都不敢尝试的一些难解的绳结或缠在一起的纱线，他都能解开。
• This is the attitude that led him to unravel a mystery that long puzzled Chinese historians.正是这种态度使他解决了长期以来使中国历史学家们大惑不解的谜。

8 downwards   

adj./adv.向下的（地），下行的（地）

参考例句：

• He lay face downwards on his bed.他脸向下伏在床上。
• As the river flows downwards,it widens.这条河愈到下游愈宽。