Shuttle1 Investigation

 

Broadcast: May 10, 2003
By Cynthia Kirk

This is the VOA Special English program, In the News.
Investigators¹ say they now believe they know what caused the American space shuttle Columbia to break apart as it re-entered the earth's atmosphere. The chairman of the Columbia Accident Investigation² Board, Admiral Harold Gehman, announced the committee's "working" theory during a news conference Tuesday in Houston, Texas.
Columbia broke apart February first as it flew two-hundred-thousand kilometers over the state of Texas. It was flying toward a landing at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. All seven astronauts were killed when the shuttle came apart. Since then, all space shuttle flights have been grounded while investigators search for the cause of the accident.
Investigators have studied evidence2 from almost fifty-thousand pieces of the shuttle. Most of it fell over east Texas and Louisiana. Thousands of people helped in the recovery effort.
After three months of investigating, the board members say they have a better understanding of the events leading up to the accident. Evidence recovered so far supports the belief that the spacecraft was damaged during lift-off on January sixteenth. Photographs taken during the launch show that a piece of foam3 insulation4 fell off the external fuel tank5 and struck Columbia's left wing. Investigators believe that the foam³ struck heat-resistant carbon panels6 on the front edge of the wing, opening a hole. They noted⁵ that an object that came off of the shuttle during its second day in orbit7 also suggests evidence of a hole.
Investigators believe that shortly after re-entry, extremely hot gas entered through the hole in the wing. A recording⁶ device tied to hundreds of sensors⁷ within the spacecraft helped investigators follow the path of the hot gas inside the wing. The gas melted the wing frame within seconds, causing it to bend. Finally, the shuttle rolled and spun⁸ out of control, breaking up high above Earth. Within fifteen minutes, all communication with Columbia stopped.
The board is examining many possible reasons for what may have weakened the strong carbon panels along the shuttle's wing. They are considering manufacturing problems, the age of the shuttles and poor administration of the shuttle program.
NASA officials have begun planning for the return to shuttle flights, possibly early next year. Board members say repeated incidents of foam insulation⁴ breaking away from the external fuel tanks must be fixed⁹ before the shuttles can fly again.
Board chairman Harold Gehman says they may never prove the wing was damaged by the foam insulation. He says more tests need to be done before any final conclusions can be made. Investigators will suggest ways to make the shuttle program safer in their final report in a few months.
This VOA Special English program, In the News, was written by Cynthia Kirk.
1. shuttle [5FQtl] n. 航天飞机
2. evidence [5evId[ns] n. 明显，迹象，证物
3. foam [f[um] n. 泡沫，水沫，泡沫材料
4. insulation [7InsjJ5leIF[n] n. 绝缘
5. fuel tank n. 燃料水槽
6. panel [5pAnl] n. 面板，嵌板，仪表板
7. orbit [5CbIt] n. 轨道

1 investigators   

n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
• The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

3 foam   

v./n.泡沫，起泡沫

参考例句：

• The glass of beer was mostly foam.这杯啤酒大部分是泡沫。
• The surface of the water is full of foam.水面都是泡沫。

4 insulation   

n.隔离；绝缘；隔热

参考例句：

• Please examine the insulation of the electric wires in my house.请检查一下我屋子里电线的绝缘情况。
• It is always difficult to assure good insulation between the electric leads.要保证两个电触头之间有良好的绝缘总是很困难的。

5 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

6 recording   

n.录音，记录

参考例句：

• How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。

7 sensors   

n.传感器，灵敏元件( sensor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There were more than 2000 sensors here. 这里装有两千多个灵敏元件。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Significant changes have been noted where sensors were exposed to trichloride. 当传感器暴露在三氯化物中时，有很大变化。 来自辞典例句

8 spun   

v.纺，杜撰，急转身

参考例句：

• His grandmother spun him a yarn at the fire.他奶奶在火炉边给他讲故事。
• Her skilful fingers spun the wool out to a fine thread.她那灵巧的手指把羊毛纺成了细毛线。

9 fixed   

adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的

参考例句：

• Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？
• Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。