NASA Sets Final Shuttle Launch for July 8

 　　The U.S. space agency completed a day-long readiness review of the space shuttle Atlantis and set July 8 as the targeted launch date for its final flight.   It is a historic last mission of the 30-year-old shuttle program.

　　The space shuttle Atlantis is set to liftoff on July 8 with four crew members aboard on a 12-day mission to resupply the International Space Station.

　　NASA says the Atlantis cargo¹ includes science equipment, spare parts, clothing, a year's supply of food and a system so NASA can assess the possibility of robotically refueling satellites in orbit.  And, like a traveler who brings a suitcase packed with gifts only to refill it at her destination, Atlantis will ferry back to Earth completed science experiments, the space station's trash and a cooling pump module² that broke last year.

　　Space Shuttle Program Launch Integration³ Manager Mike Moses says the resupply mission is important ahead of the shuttle fleet's retirement⁴.  At the moment, the space station has a six-member crew representing Japan, Russia and the United States.

　　"We're kind of doing a surge here and pre-stowing a lot of gear up on station to get us another year of lifetime in case we do have some problems with the commercial orbital resupply vehicles that are out there and they get delayed," said Moses. "So this is to try to buy some insurance, but what that does is put the stowage situation on station in a real crunch⁵, so the more we can offload the stuff they don't need, the better."

　　He said the crew might try to extend the mission to 13 days in order to transfer as much gear as possible.

　　Under the NASA Authorization⁶ bill, which President Barack Obama signed into law last year, the U.S. extended its commitment to the International Space Station to 2020.  But, after the shuttle fleet is retired⁷ this year, the United States will no longer have its own means to reach the orbiting laboratory.  NASA will have to rely on Russia and pay for transport flights on Russian Soyuz spacecraft.  Meanwhile, private companies also are working to create spacecraft that can go to the orbiting lab.

　　Bill Gerstenmaier, NASA's associate administrator⁸ for Space Operations, notes that this space shuttle mission has only a four-member crew, which is smaller than normal.

　　In the past, another space shuttle has been at the ready to rescue astronauts in case an orbiter failed in space.  Given that this is the last space shuttle mission, there is no back-up shuttle, so NASA will have to rely on Russia's smaller Soyuz crafts in the event of a problem.

　　Gerstenmaier said NASA has given potential rescue scenarios⁹ a lot of thought.

　　"Even though we're using a different means to provide crew rescue capability¹⁰, it's at least as good as what we had with the shuttle," said Gerstenmaier.

　　After three decades and 134 launches - and counting - Atlantis will be the final shuttle to go into space.

　　NASA says between 500,000 and 750,000 visitors are expected to flock to the communities near the Kennedy Space Center, along the so-called "Space Coast" in Florida, to watch this historic liftoff.

　　The 30-year-old shuttle program is being retired so NASA can focus on developing the next generation of spacecraft that could go beyond low-Earth-orbit, possibly to an asteroid¹¹ or the planet Mars.(本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑)

1 cargo   

n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物

参考例句：

• The ship has a cargo of about 200 ton.这条船大约有200吨的货物。
• A lot of people discharged the cargo from a ship.许多人从船上卸下货物。

2 module   

n.组件，模块，模件；(航天器的)舱

参考例句：

• The centre module displays traffic guidance information.中央模块显示交通引导信息。
• Two large tanks in the service module held liquid oxygen.服务舱的两个大气瓶中装有液态氧。

3 integration   

n.一体化，联合，结合

参考例句：

• We are working to bring about closer political integration in the EU.我们正在努力实现欧盟內部更加紧密的政治一体化。
• This was the greatest event in the annals of European integration.这是欧洲统一史上最重大的事件。

4 retirement   

n.退休，退职

参考例句：

• She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。
• I have to put everything away for my retirement.我必须把一切都积蓄起来以便退休后用。

5 crunch   

n.关键时刻；艰难局面；v.发出碎裂声

参考例句：

• If it comes to the crunch they'll support us.关键时刻他们是会支持我们的。
• People who crunch nuts at the movies can be very annoying.看电影时嘎吱作声地嚼干果的人会使人十分讨厌。

6 authorization   

n.授权，委任状

参考例句：

• Anglers are required to obtain prior authorization from the park keeper.垂钓者必须事先得到公园管理者的许可。
• You cannot take a day off without authorization.未经批准你不得休假。

7 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。

8 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。

9 scenarios   

n.[意]情节；剧本；事态；脚本

参考例句：

• Further, graphite cores may be safer than non-graphite cores under some accident scenarios. 再者，根据一些事故解说，石墨堆芯可比非石墨堆芯更安全一些。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
• Again, scenarios should make it clear which modes are acceptable to users in various contexts. 同样，我们可以运用场景剧本来搞清楚在不同情境下哪些模式可被用户接受。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

10 capability   

n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等

参考例句：

• She has the capability to become a very fine actress.她有潜力成为杰出演员。
• Organizing a whole department is beyond his capability.组织整个部门是他能力以外的事。

11 asteroid   

n.小行星；海盘车(动物)

参考例句：

• Astronomers have yet to witness an asteroid impact with another planet.天文学家还没有目击过小行星撞击其它行星。
• It's very unlikely that an asteroid will crash into Earth but the danger exists.小行星撞地球的可能性很小，但这样的危险还是存在的。