2006年VOA标准英语-US Space Program Being Reshaped

By Richard Krantz
Washington, D.C.
28 February 2006
 
watch Space Program report

Proposed space vehicle  
  
With little fanfare¹, and on a tight budget, the United States is reshaping its space program in an attempt to return men to the moon by 2020, and eventually land humans on Mars.  It is a journey that poses formidable scientific, political and financial challenges. 

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In May 1961, a speech by U.S. President John F. Kennedy changed the course of human history.

"The goal, before this decade is out, is of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the Earth," said the president.

In July 1969, Neil Armstrong became that man -- the first human to walk on a celestial² body other than Earth.

Thirty-five years later, in January 2004, President George W. Bush called for a new vision of space exploration: "We will build new ships to carry man forward into the universe, to gain a new foothold on the moon, and prepare for a new journey to the worlds beyond our own."

Though overshadowed by the war in Iraq, combating terrorism and other issues,  Bush's vision has quietly become the driving force in remaking America's space program.

Dr. Paul Spudis  
  
Returning men to the moon is central to the vision, says Dr. Paul Spudis, a lunar scientist at Johns Hopkins University, who served on the president's space exploration policy commission.

"As we get more and more experience on the moon -- more and more experience working with the moon itself -- we will start to make things we can use on the moon from the moon,” said Spudis.  “And once you've done that you've taken the first step toward cutting the cord with the Earth."  

Five steps need to be taken to realize the president's vision. First is fixing the Space Shuttle and getting it back in flight.  Second is completing the International Space Station, using the Shuttle as a workhorse to move critical parts and supplies.

"The third millstone is to develop a new human space vehicle,” according to Spudis.  “They call it the Crew Exploration Vehicle, CEV.   That will allow us to go not only into Earth orbit, but beyond Earth orbit, into missions to the moon, and ultimately to Mars and other places. 

One version of what a new lunar lander might look like  
  
The fourth piece of the vision is to return to the moon -- to return to the moon to do science, to learn how to explore, and to learn how to extract what we need from the resources of the moon.  And the last milestone³ of the vision is the Mars mission -- a mission to Mars and to other places."

Realizing this vision is the job of the National Aeronautics⁴ and Space Administration -- NASA -- headed by Dr. Michael Griffin. "Completing the International Space Station, retiring the Shuttle by 2010; managing the effective transition from the Shuttle to the new crew exploration and crew launch vehicles are fully⁵ the equal of the tasks which were set before any earlier generation.... I believe we can carry this out,” said NASA’s administrator⁶.  

But Congressman⁷ Mark Udall, a Democrat⁸ from Colorado, is among those who are not so sure. "I think many of us in the Congress, both on the Democratic side and the Republican side, think we are asking NASA to do too much with too little when it comes to resources."

Dr. Griffin acknowledges that the costs of manned space exploration require cutbacks in other NASA programs such as science and aeronautics. "We cannot afford to do everything that each of our constituencies would like us to do."

But Congressman Bart Gordon, a Democrat from Tennessee, is doubtful.  "The reality is that the glowing vision Congress was given two years ago bears little resemblance to the situation at hand.  It's become painfully obvious to me that we're not going to get there from here."

Dr. Spudis of Johns Hopkins University is more optimistic. "They're getting over $16 billion a year.  And that's a lot of money.  And I think that depending on how they approach the problem, and how they begin to do it, I think they can go back to the moon on that amount of money.    I think its going to require some clever innovation; it's going to require some imaginative management; but its certainly doable.  And if its not doable then there is no future for the space program because they're not going to get much more than that."

If the Bush vision does return us to the moon by 2020, it will be 50 years after the Kennedy vision brought that first giant leap for mankind.

1 fanfare   

n.喇叭；号角之声；v.热闹地宣布

参考例句：

• The product was launched amid much fanfare worldwide.这个产品在世界各地隆重推出。
• A fanfare of trumpets heralded the arrival of the King.嘹亮的小号声宣告了国王驾到。

2 celestial   

adj.天体的；天上的

参考例句：

• The rosy light yet beamed like a celestial dawn.玫瑰色的红光依然象天上的朝霞一样绚丽。
• Gravity governs the motions of celestial bodies.万有引力控制着天体的运动。

3 milestone   

n.里程碑；划时代的事件

参考例句：

• The film proved to be a milestone in the history of cinema.事实证明这部影片是电影史上的一个里程碑。
• I think this is a very important milestone in the relations between our two countries.我认为这是我们两国关系中一个十分重要的里程碑。

4 aeronautics   

n.航空术，航空学

参考例句：

• National Aeronautics and Space undertakings have made great progress.国家的航空航天事业有了很大的发展。
• He devoted every spare moment to aeronautics.他把他所有多余的时间用在航空学上。

5 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

6 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。

7 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

8 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。