2006年VOA标准英语-Space Shuttle Atlantis Makes Safe Landing in Fl

By Richard Green
Washington
21 September 2006

The space shuttle Atlantis returned to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida before dawn Thursday, bringing a successful end to a mission that resumed the long-delayed construction of the International Space Station.

 
Space Shuttle Atlantis landing at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida 
After a mission whose beginning, and ending, was plagued with a number of delays, the space shuttle Atlantis fired its engines early Thursday morning to leave orbit and return to Earth.

From their vantage point several hundred kilometers above, the crew members of the International Space Station watched as Atlantis re-entered Earth's atmosphere and streaked¹ over the Gulf² of Mexico, and radioed their impressions back to ground controllers.

"Spectacular lightning flashes directly below the orbiter, there, just spectacular," crewmembers said. "That's really, cool, guys. The glow of the orbiter itself getting dimmer, but the contrail's still very bright."

Just moments later, Atlantis safely touched down at its landing site at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

"Touchdown. Drag chute deployed³. Nose gear touchdown. Wheels stop, Houston. We copy, wheels stop, congratulations on return to assembly."

 
NASA officials talk with reporters following return of Space Shuttle Atlantis, September 21, 2006
The landing ended a successful 12-day mission that resumed the long-delayed construction on the International Space Station. Atlantis was originally scheduled to blast off from Florida in late-August, but the launch was postponed⁴ a number of times because of bad weather and equipment problems.

It was scheduled to return to Earth on Wednesday, but debris⁵ found floating outside the vehicle, as well as inclement⁶ weather over Florida, prompted officials with the U.S. space agency NASA to keep it in orbit for an extra day. The crew spent the extra day inspecting the vehicle looking for any damage.

During the mission to the space station, the astronauts conducted three complex spacewalks to attach a giant array of solar panels that will boost the station's power.

Construction on the space station has been delayed since 2003, when the space shuttle Columbia disintegrated⁷ upon re-entering Earth's atmosphere. The crew of space shuttle Atlantis had been training for this flight when the Columbia disaster occurred, and had to wait while NASA redesigned the shuttle's external fuel tank, and implemented⁸ several new in-flight safety procedures.

Atlantis commander Brent Jett says the long wait was just as challenging as the actual flight itself.

"This crew is a great group of folks, but you can't stay in training for four years, and train at a very high level," said Brent Jett. "So, I think that it was probably more of a challenge during the four years to prepare, bring the crew to a peak at the correct time for launch, and, I mean it all worked out."

Michael Griffin, administrator⁹ of NASA, says the mission of Atlantis shows the agency is moving forward.

"You've seen a great effort on NASA's part by a truly great team of people," said Michael Griffin. "I think it is obvious to me and I hope it's obvious to you that we are rebuilding the kind of momentum¹⁰ that we have had in the past and that we need if we are gonna finish the space station. Because we have an awesome¹¹ task ahead of us."

The next construction mission to the International Space Station is scheduled for December. On that flight, the space shuttle Discovery will deliver another giant truss for the orbital outpost, as well as a scientific laboratory. It will be the 20th time a shuttle has flown to the space station.

1 streaked   

adj.有条斑纹的，不安的v.快速移动( streak的过去式和过去分词 )；使布满条纹

参考例句：

• The children streaked off as fast as they could. 孩子们拔脚飞跑 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• His face was pale and streaked with dirt. 他脸色苍白，脸上有一道道的污痕。 来自辞典例句

2 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

3 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

4 postponed   

vt.& vi.延期，缓办，（使）延迟vt.把…放在次要地位；[语]把…放在后面（或句尾）vi.（疟疾等）延缓发作（或复发）

参考例句：

• The trial was postponed indefinitely. 审讯无限期延迟。
• The game has already been postponed three times. 这场比赛已经三度延期了。

5 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。

6 inclement   

adj.严酷的，严厉的，恶劣的

参考例句：

• The inclement weather brought forth a host of diseases.恶劣的天气引起了种种疾病。
• They kept on going,even through the inclement weather.即使天气恶劣，他们还是执意要去。

7 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》

8 implemented   

v.实现( implement的过去式和过去分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• This agreement, if not implemented, is a mere scrap of paper. 这个协定如不执行只不过是一纸空文。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The economy is in danger of collapse unless far-reaching reforms are implemented. 如果不实施影响深远的改革，经济就面临崩溃的危险。 来自辞典例句

9 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。

10 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

11 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.