VOA慢速英语--技术问题延误了印度的月球任务

Technical Issue Delays Indian Moon Mission¹

India has canceled the launch² of a spacecraft shortly before it was supposed to leave Earth on a trip to the moon.

India’s space agency³ said it delayed the launch of the Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft early Monday after a “technical snag” was observed. It reported in a message on Twitter the decision was made one hour before the planned lift-off as a safety measure.

The agency’s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle is to lift the Chandrayaan-2 into space.

Vivek Singh is the media director for the Indian Space Research Organization, or ISRO. He said experts were examining the technical issue. He added that a new launch date would be announced later.

Chandrayaan is the Sanskrit word for “moon vehicle.” The Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft is designed to make a “soft,” or controlled, landing⁴ on the moon’s South Pole.

The spacecraft is carrying both a moon lander and robotic rover. ISRO expects the rover to operate on the moon’s surface for 14 days. It will carry out experiments and search for signs of water.

K. Sivan is head of the ISRO. He said last week the Chandrayaan-2 mission was the nation’s most complex space project yet. This is partly because of the difficulties of completing a soft landing on the lunar surface. The agency said that India has spent about $140 million on the Chandrayaan-2 mission.

If the spacecraft does successfully complete a soft landing, it would be only the fourth country to do so after the United States, Russia and China.

India deployed⁵ an unmanned spacecraft in an orbit⁶ around the moon in 2008. That mission helped confirm the presence⁷ of water on the lunar surface.

A soft landing on the Moon would be a major step for India's space program. Prime⁸ Minister Narendra Modi announced plans to launch a crewed space mission by the year 2022. India says it also plans to put a space station in Earth’s orbit and launch a robotic mission to Mars⁹.

The Indian mission would be the third attempted moon landing this year. In January, China successful landed a spacecraft on the far side of the moon. In April, an Israeli spacecraft attempted to land on the moon, but crashed shortly before reaching its target.

I’m Bryan Lynn.

Words in This Story

mission – n. an important task, usually involving travel

snag – n. problem or difficulty

rover – n. a space exploration vehicle designed to move across the surface of the moon or another distant object

1 mission   

n.使命，任务，天职；代表团，使团

参考例句：

• He was charged with an important mission.他受委托承担一项重要使命。
• I'll leave you to undertake an important mission.我要让你承担一项重要使命。

2 launch   

vt.发动，推出；发射；n.发射，下水，投产

参考例句：

• The makers are about to launch out a new product.制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。
• Would it be wise to launch into this rough sea?在这样汹涌的大海中游泳明智吗？

3 agency   

n.经办；代理；代理处

参考例句：

• This disease is spread through the agency of insects.这种疾病是通过昆虫媒介传播的。
• He spoke in the person of Xinhua News Agency.他代表新华社讲话。

4 landing   

n.登陆；着陆；楼梯平台

参考例句：

• Owing to engine trouble,the plane had to make a forced landing.由于发动机出了毛病，飞机不得不进行迫降。
• When are we landing?我们什么时候着陆？

5 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。

6 orbit   

n.轨道；vt.使沿轨道运行；使进入轨道运行；vi.沿轨道运行，环行

参考例句：

• The space rocket was launched and went into orbit.宇宙火箭发射后进入轨道。
• We can draw the earth's orbit round the sun.我们可以画出地球绕太阳运行的轨迹。

7 presence   

n.出席；到场；存在

参考例句：

• Her presence lent an air of respectability to the occasion.她的到场使那种场合增添了崇高的气氛。
• His presence is indicative of his willingness to help.他的出席表示他愿意帮忙。

8 prime   

adj.首要的，主要的；最好的，第一流的

参考例句：

• The prime minister spoke of the general insecurity in the country.总理谈到了全国普遍存在的不安全。
• He met with the Prime Minister of Japan for an hour.他和日本首相会见了一个小时。

9 Mars   

n.火星，战争

参考例句：

• As of now we don't know much about Mars.目前我们对火星还知之甚少。
• He contended that there must be life on Mars.他坚信火星上面一定有生物。