VOA慢速英语2012 Technology Report - The Historic Flight of the Dragon（在线收听）

Technology Report - The Historic Flight of the Dragon

科技报道 - 国际空间站迎来首个私人航天器--飞龙号太空舱

This is the VOA Special English Technology Report.

这里是美国之音慢速英语科技报道。

A rocket designed and built by a privately owned company has made history by bringing a supply capsule to the International Space Station. It was the first private spacecraft to carry out such a mission.

由一家私营公司设计建造的火箭历史性地为国际空间站带来了补给舱，这是执行此类飞行任务的首个私人航天器。

The company SpaceX launched its Dragon space capsule last week on the company's Falcon 9 rocket. It launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

太空探索科技公司（以下简称SpaceX公司）上周通过该公司的猎鹰9号火箭，从佛罗里达州卡纳维拉尔角发射了“飞龙号”太空舱。

NASA LAUNCH COMMENTATOR: "Three, two, one, zero and the launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, as NASA turns to the private sector to resupply the International Space Station."

美国宇航局发射解说员：“3，2，1，0，猎鹰9号火箭发射。这次发射正值美国宇航局转向私营部门为国际空间站运送补给之际。”

SpaceX mission controllers celebrated when the rocket had reached orbit and its solar panels had deployed. Three days earlier, a launch attempt was cancelled at the last second when a computer found a problem with the engine.

SpaceX公司飞行控制人员在火箭进入轨道，太阳能电池板打开后进行了庆祝。3天前，计算机在火箭发射前最后一秒发现发动机故障，发射被取消。

Charlie Bolden is the head of the American space agency, NASA. He spoke to reporters at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida after the rocket was launched.

查理·博尔登（Charlie Bolden）是美国宇航局负责人。火箭发射以后，他在佛罗里达州的肯尼迪航天中心对记者表示：

CHARLIE BOLDEN: "The significance of this day cannot be overstated. A private company has launched a spacecraft to the International Space Station that will attempt to dock there for the first time. And, while there is a lot of work ahead to successfully complete this mission, we are certainly off to a good start."

博尔登：“这一天的意义不容忽视。一家私人公司向国际空间站发射了航天器，并首次试图停靠到空间站。在成功完成这次飞行任务之前我们提前做了很多工作，显然我们有了一个很好的开端。”

The head of SpaceX watched the launch from company headquarters. Elon Musk told reporters:

SpaceX公司负责人艾伦.马斯克（Elon Musk）在公司总部观看了这次发射，他对记者表示：

ELON MUSK: "There is so much hope riding on that rocket, so when it worked, and Dragon worked and the solar arrays deployed, and people saw their handiwork in space and operating as it should -- I mean it was tremendous elation. I mean, it is like, I guess, for us, it is like winning the Super Bowl."

马斯克：“这枚火箭上倾注了太多希望，所以当火箭及它携带的飞龙号太空舱发射成功，太阳能电池板展开，大家看到自己亲手打造的航天器飞上太空并且控制正常时--这是多大的喜悦啊。我觉得对我们来说，就像赢得了超级碗（Super Bowl）。”

The rocket successfully linked with the International Space Station on Friday. Astronauts on board the Space Station used its robotic arm to secure the capsule.

上周五，火箭与国际空间站成功对接。国际空间站上的宇航员使用机械臂来捕捉飞龙号太空舱。

SPACE STATION: "Capture is confirmed."

空间站：“捕捉成功。”

MISSION CONTROL: "Station, Houston, congratulations on a wonderful capture. You've made a lot of folk happy down here and over in Hawthorne and right here in Houston. Great job, guys."

飞行控制中心：“国际空间站，这里是休斯敦，祝贺你们捕捉成功。你们让休斯敦（飞行控制中心）和霍桑（SpaceX公司总部）的很多人都非常高兴。”

NASA has invested about four hundred million dollars in SpaceX to help it develop space flight technology. And the agency also has a contract with SpaceX for twelve flights to resupply the space station.

美国宇航局已经在SpaceX公司身上投资了约4亿美元帮助他们发展航天技术。美国宇航局还和SpaceX公司签有合同，由SpaceX公司为空间站进行12次补给飞行任务。

NASA wants private companies to carry out operations in low-Earth orbit. The agency wants to center its attention on developing the next generation of spacecraft that can travel to asteroids or Mars.

美国宇航局希望私人公司开展近地轨道业务，自己集中精力发展能够前往小行星或火星的下一代航天器。

The Falcon 9 rocket brought more than five hundred kilograms of supplies to the space station. But it also carried the remains, or ashes, of three hundred people. Among the remains were those of astronaut Gordon Cooper and actor James Doohan. Doohan played Chief Engineer Scotty in the popular television and movie series "Star Trek. "

猎鹰9号火箭为国际空间站带来了五百多公斤物资。但它还携带了300人的骨灰，其中包括宇航员戈登·库珀（Gordon Cooper）及演员詹姆斯·杜汉（James Doohan）的骨灰。杜汉在热门电视与电影系列剧《星际迷航》中扮演了总工程师斯科提（Scotty）。

The remains will orbit the Earth for about a year until burning up in the atmosphere.

这些骨灰将在轨一年左右，然后在大气中燃烧殆尽。

And that's the VOA Special English Technology Report. Transcripts, MP3s and podcasts of our reports are at www.voanews.cn. I'm Steve Ember.