VOA慢速英语2020 NASA宇航员为首次乘坐私人太空发射器做最后的准备

NASA Astronauts Make Final Preparations for First Private Space Launch

Two American space agency astronauts are making final preparations

美国国家航空航天局的两名宇航员正在为 

for the first crewed space flight to launch from American soil since 2011.Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley - both former NASA shuttle pilots – arrived at Floridas Kennedy Space Center last week.

自2011年以来首次从美国本土进行发射的载人航天飞行做最后的准备。罗伯特·贝恩肯和道格拉斯·赫尔利都曾是美国国家航空航天局的航天飞机飞行员，他们于上周抵达佛罗里达州的肯尼迪航天中心。

They had been training at their home base in Houston, Texas.

他们在德克萨斯州休斯敦的基地进行训练。 

The astronauts are set to launch from Kennedy on a test mission to the International Space Station, or ISS, on Wednesday, May 27.They will fly on a Crew Dragon spacecraft, carried by a Falcon¹ 9 rocket.The American company SpaceX designed and built each.The flight will be the first by a private company to send astronauts into orbit.

宇航员们将于5月27日(周三)从肯尼迪发射升空，前往国际空间站（ISS）执行测试任务。他们将乘坐猎鹰9号火箭搭载的“龙”号宇宙飞船飞行。美国SpaceX公司设计并制造了这两个载人航天器。这次飞行将是第一次由私人公司将宇航员送入轨道。

The trip will also mark the first U.S.-based space launch since NASA ended its space shuttle program nine years ago.Since then, American astronauts have been flying to the ISS on Russian rockets launched from Kazakhstan.

这次飞行还将标志着美国国家航空航天局9年前航天飞机计划被搁置以来首次在美国本土进行的太空发射。从那以后，美国宇航员就一直乘坐从哈萨克斯坦发射的俄罗斯火箭飞往国际空间站。

Hurley was one of the four astronauts who took part in the final NASA shuttle flight in July 2011.Speaking to reporters in Florida, he said "it has been a long road" back.But he added that it was "humbling² to be here to start out the next launch from the United States."

赫尔利是2011年7月参加NASA航天飞机最后一次飞行的四名宇航员之一。他在佛罗里达对记者说，“这是一条漫长的道路”。但他补充说，“在这里开始美国的又一次发射真是令人难以置信。"

Behnken called it "an awesome³ time to be an astronaut, with a new spacecraft."

贝恩肯称这是“一个拥有新航天器宇航员的伟大时代”。 

Kennedy Space Centers director, former shuttle commander Robert Cabana, and NASA Administrator⁴ Jim Bridenstine,welcomed the astronauts on their arrival.The NASA chief told the two he saw them as "a bright light for all of America right now."

肯尼迪航天中心主任、前航天飞机总指挥罗伯特·卡巴纳和美国国家航空航天局局长吉姆·布里登斯廷在宇航员抵达时对他们表示欢迎。美国国家航空航天局局长告诉他们，他认为他们现在是“美国的一盏明灯”。

The crowd in attendance was greatly reduced because of the coronavirus crisis.The astronauts did not wear nose and mouth covers but stayed socially distant.Cabana and Bridenstine wore face coverings.

由于冠状病毒危机，出席的人数大大减少。宇航员们没有戴口罩遮住鼻子和嘴，但与周围的人保持了社交距离。卡巴纳和布里登斯廷戴着面罩。

Bridenstine spoke⁵ to the group.During these difficult times, he said,"this is a moment when we can all look and be inspired as to what the future holds."

布里登斯廷向大家发表了讲话。在这些艰难的时期，他说，“这是一个让我们都能展望未来并受到鼓舞的时刻。”

The two astronauts do not know how long they will remain at the ISS,but the stay is expected to last at least a month.NASA has said the length of stay will be decided⁶ after their arrival and will be "based on the readiness" of the next crew launch.

这两名宇航员不知道他们将在国际空间站停留多长时间，但预计至少停留一个月。美国国家航空航天局表示，停留时间将在他们到达后决定，并将“根据准备情况”进行下一次宇航员发射。

Only one American is currently on the ISS, astronaut Chris Cassidy.NASA says the three U.S. astronauts will team up to test the Crew Dragons systems and carry out research and maintenance operations.

目前只有一名美国人在国际空间站上，那就是宇航员克里斯·卡西迪。美国国家航空航天局说，三名美国宇航员将联合测试“龙”号机组的系统，并进行研究和维护工作。

Some of the tests will aim to confirm that

美国国家航空航天局表示，一些测试的目的是 

the spacecraft will be able to carry out future missions while connected to the station for up to 210 days, NASA said.The mission is part of NASAs Commercial Crew Program,which partners with private American companies to develop U.S. spaceflight systems.

确认航天器在与空间站已经相连了210天的情况下能够执行未来的任务。这次任务是美国国家航空航天局商业乘员项目计划的一部分，该项目计划是与美国私营公司合作开发美国航天系统。

NASA selected SpaceX and Boeing in 2014 to transport crews from the United States to the ISS.The space agency is paying the two companies a combined $6.8 billion to build competing rocket and capsule systems.

NASA在2014年选择了SpaceX和波音公司将宇航员从美国运送到国际空间站。美国航天局将向这两家公司支付总计68亿美元的费用，用于建造相互竞争的火箭和太空舱系统。

Boeing is also preparing to launch astronauts aboard its Starliner spacecraft to the ISS.But the company suffered a setback⁷ in December during an unmanned test flight to reach the space station.

波音公司也在准备让宇航员乘坐其太空飞船“星际线”前往国际空间站。但去年12月，该公司在一次无人驾驶的空间站测试飞行中遭遇挫折。

After lifting off for the test flight, the Starliner experienced software issues that sent the spacecraft to the wrong orbit,causing officials to cancel its trip to the ISS.Boeing says it has been working on the software issues and plans to carry out another unpiloted test flight later this year.

在起飞进行试飞后，这架飞船出现了软件问题，导致航天器进入了错误的轨道，从而官员取消了其前往国际空间站的行程。波音公司表示，该公司一直在努力解决软件问题，并计划在今年晚些时候再进行一次无人驾驶的试飞。

Im Bryan Lynn.

布莱恩·林恩为您播报。 

 

1 falcon   

n.隼，猎鹰

参考例句：

• The falcon was twice his size with pouted feathers.鹰张开羽毛比两只鹰还大。
• The boys went hunting with their falcon.男孩子们带着猎鹰出去打猎了。

2 humbling   

adj.令人羞辱的v.使谦恭( humble的现在分词 )；轻松打败（尤指强大的对手）；低声下气

参考例句：

• A certain humbling from time to time is good. 不时受点儿屈辱是有好处的。 来自辞典例句
• It has been said that astronomy is a humbling and character-buildingexperience. 据说天文学是一种令人产生自卑、塑造人格的科学。 来自互联网

3 awesome   

adj.令人惊叹的，难得吓人的，很好的

参考例句：

• The church in Ireland has always exercised an awesome power.爱尔兰的教堂一直掌握着令人敬畏的权力。
• That new white convertible is totally awesome.那辆新的白色折篷汽车简直棒极了.

4 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。

5 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

6 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

7 setback   

n.退步，挫折，挫败

参考例句：

• Since that time there has never been any setback in his career.从那时起他在事业上一直没有遇到周折。
• She views every minor setback as a disaster.她把每个较小的挫折都看成重大灾难。