VOA标准英语2012--Space Exploration Enthusiasts Say US Program Adrift

 

Space Exploration Enthusiasts¹ Say US Program Adrift

A half century ago, NASA sent astronauts to the moon, and for the past three decades used its space shuttle for low-earth orbit missions.

But many veterans of NASA's glory years, such as former Johnson Space Center Director Chris Kraft, are critics of the agency's plan to send astronauts to Mars.

“That objective is ludicrous. It cannot be done. It cannot be done technically² and, more importantly, it cannot be done financially,” Kraft said.

Kraft says the new Space Launch System proposed by NASA at a cost of around $5 billion is too expensive and that it would be better to utilize³ existing rocket systems for exploration beyond earth's orbit. He also says an ambitious goal like sending humans to Mars requires a detailed⁴ plan with intermediate, preliminary steps, like establishing bases on the moon.

“We know how to go back to the moon; it is a reasonable program; it is a feasible program; it can be done with today's capabilities⁵.”

NASA's Constellation⁶ program did include such steps, but President Barack Obama cancelled it in 2010 with approval from many scientists, who wanted a more ambitious goal.

Among those who now think that was a mistake is the director of the Hayden Planetarium⁷ in New York, Neil deGrasse Tyson.

“I understand the rhetoric⁸ that we have been to the moon, so why go back? But the real answer is that we have not been to the moon in 40 years,” Tyson said.

Tyson says the current Mars plan is too vague.

“I think we have lost our way, in the real world. What works on paper does not always work in the real world and, in the real world, we have lost our way,” Tyson said.

David Alexander, director of the Space Institute at Rice University, puts the blame for NASA's current predicament on the politicians who tightly control the funding.

“A lot of people blame NASA for not having a plan or not having this and that, but, actually, they have lots of plans based on what they have been told to do by Congress and by various Congresses over the years,” Alexander said.

But Congress has many enthusiastic supporters of space exploration, says NASA Deputy Administrator⁹ Lori Garver.

“We work closely with appropriators and authorizers and we believe there is broad support for a stable NASA budget,” said Garver.

And Garver believes Congress will fund the new launch system and other technology NASA needs to get humans to Mars, fulfilling a goal that she says NASA has had in mind for decades.

“It is finally getting to the point where we are investing in the capabilities that will get us there in a time frame when people are really beginning to talk about it realistically,” Garver said.

But before that can happen, David Alexander thinks NASA administrators¹⁰ and the nation's leaders need to answer some fundamental questions.

“The biggest issue that a lot of critics are saying is 'why? Where are we going, what are we doing there, and what are we going to do with this big thing we have developed?,'” Alexander said.

As the U.S. Congress struggles with the national debt and how to maintain vital federal programs, it could be tempted¹¹ to cut funding for a trip to another planet set many years in the future. 

1 enthusiasts   

n.热心人，热衷者( enthusiast的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• A group of enthusiasts have undertaken the reconstruction of a steam locomotive. 一群火车迷已担负起重造蒸汽机车的任务。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Now a group of enthusiasts are going to have the plane restored. 一群热心人计划修复这架飞机。 来自新概念英语第二册

2 technically   

adv.专门地，技术上地

参考例句：

• Technically it is the most advanced equipment ever.从技术上说，这是最先进的设备。
• The tomato is technically a fruit,although it is eaten as a vegetable.严格地说，西红柿是一种水果，尽管它是当作蔬菜吃的。

3 utilize   

vt.使用，利用

参考例句：

• The cook will utilize the leftover ham bone to make soup.厨师要用吃剩的猪腿骨做汤。
• You must utilize all available resources.你必须利用一切可以得到的资源。

4 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

5 capabilities   

n.能力( capability的名词复数 )；可能；容量；[复数]潜在能力

参考例句：

• He was somewhat pompous and had a high opinion of his own capabilities. 他有点自大，自视甚高。 来自辞典例句
• Some programmers use tabs to break complex product capabilities into smaller chunks. 一些程序员认为，标签可以将复杂的功能分为每个窗格一组简单的功能。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

6 constellation   

n.星座n.灿烂的一群

参考例句：

• A constellation is a pattern of stars as seen from the earth. 一个星座只是从地球上看到的某些恒星的一种样子。
• The Big Dipper is not by itself a constellation. 北斗七星本身不是一个星座。

7 planetarium   

n.天文馆；天象仪

参考例句：

• The planetarium staff also prepared talks for radio broadcast.天文馆的工作人员还要准备讲稿给电台广播。
• It landed in a shallow basin fifty yards from the planetarium.它降落在离天文馆五十码处的一个浅盆地中。

8 rhetoric   

n.修辞学，浮夸之言语

参考例句：

• Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗？
• Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后，他和军队的关系岌岌可危。

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 administrators   

n.管理者( administrator的名词复数 )；有管理（或行政）才能的人；（由遗嘱检验法庭指定的）遗产管理人；奉派暂管主教教区的牧师

参考例句：

• He had administrators under him but took the crucial decisions himself. 他手下有管理人员，但重要的决策仍由他自己来做。 来自辞典例句
• Administrators have their own methods of social intercourse. 办行政的人有他们的社交方式。 来自汉英文学 - 围城

11 tempted   

v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词）

参考例句：

• I was sorely tempted to complain, but I didn't. 我极想发牢骚，但还是没开口。
• I was tempted by the dessert menu. 甜食菜单馋得我垂涎欲滴。