2006年VOA标准英语-Space Station Crews Conducts Maintenance S

By David McAlary
Washington
02 June 2006

The two U.S. and Russian International Space Station crewmen stepped outside the outpost for a spacewalk to perform maintenance chores as the U.S. space agency prepares to resume shuttle flights.

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Commander Pavel Vinogradov, top left, watches as astronaut Jeff Willliams, right, installs camera on outside of ISS during televised spacewalk, June 1, 2006  
  

Russian commander Pavel Vinogradev and American flight engineer Jeff Williams donned Russian space suits for their six-hour outing to maintain some systems before shuttles resume station construction later this year. They repaired a system that generates oxygen, replaced an exterior¹ camera, and repositioned a cable. They also retrieved² biology experiments and a collection device that monitors space contamination.

It was the first spacewalk for the two crewmen since they took up residence as the 13th space station crew in six years.

The spacewalk came one month ahead of the planned launch of the space shuttle Discovery to the station. If the shuttle goes up as scheduled, it will end a long hiatus in visits to the station that began when the shuttle Columbia disintegrated³ in 2003.

Since then, the U.S. space agency NASA has spent hundreds of millions of dollars redesigning the exterior layer of hard foam⁴ insulating the giant fuel tank that launches side-by-side with each shuttle. It wants to prevent a recurrence⁵ of shedding foam that punched a hole in Columbia's wing, causing it to burn up upon re-entry, killing⁶ seven astronauts.

NASA has removed foam from the tank site that contributed the deadly debris⁷ and reshaped it in other places. The attempt has been to minimize the amount that breaks away during the tremendous physical stresses of launch.

Shuttle program manager Wayne Hale says an extensive review has found nothing to prevent Discovery's takeoff in one month.

"Based on what we know today, there is no reason not to launch on July 1," he said.

Hale says technicians will continue to modify the foam insulation⁸ for subsequent shuttle flights.

When Discovery takes off next month, it will bring German astronaut Thomas Reiter, whose arrival will give the station its first three-person crew since 2003. In late August, the shuttle Atlantis is to carry up hardware to resume station expansion.

American deputy station manager Kirk Shireman says he looks forward to Reiter's sojourn⁹ because it will increase the number of hours devoted¹⁰ to scientific research aboard the station.

"It also helps prepare for [International Space Station] assembly. The number of flights we have lined up - it will help us to prepare and execute those flights," he said. "So it's absolutely an improvement for the research because of the extra hours and also it will enable to prepare and continue the assembly of the International Space Station."

Other segments to be added to the outpost are European, Russian and Japanese laboratories; a U.S. tunnel connecting four labs; a two-armed Canadian crane; and an unpiloted European cargo vehicle that can dock with the station automatically

1 exterior   

adj.外部的，外在的；表面的

参考例句：

• The seed has a hard exterior covering.这种子外壳很硬。
• We are painting the exterior wall of the house.我们正在给房子的外墙涂漆。

2 retrieved   

v.取回( retrieve的过去式和过去分词 )；恢复；寻回；检索（储存的信息）

参考例句：

• Yesterday I retrieved the bag I left in the train. 昨天我取回了遗留在火车上的包。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He reached over and retrieved his jacket from the back seat. 他伸手从后座上取回了自己的夹克。 来自辞典例句

3 disintegrated   

v.（使）破裂[分裂，粉碎]，（使）崩溃( disintegrate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The plane disintegrated as it fell into the sea. 飞机坠入大海时解体了。
• The box was so old;it just disintegrated when I picked it up. 那箱子太破旧了，我刚一提就散了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 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。

5 recurrence   

n.复发，反复，重现

参考例句：

• More care in the future will prevent recurrence of the mistake.将来的小心可防止错误的重现。
• He was aware of the possibility of a recurrence of his illness.他知道他的病有可能复发。

6 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

7 debris   

n.瓦砾堆，废墟，碎片

参考例句：

• After the bombing there was a lot of debris everywhere.轰炸之后到处瓦砾成堆。
• Bacteria sticks to food debris in the teeth,causing decay.细菌附着在牙缝中的食物残渣上，导致蛀牙。

8 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。

9 sojourn   

v./n.旅居，寄居；逗留

参考例句：

• It would be cruel to begrudge your sojourn among flowers and fields.如果嫉妒你逗留在鲜花与田野之间，那将是太不近人情的。
• I am already feeling better for my sojourn here.我在此逗留期间，觉得体力日渐恢复。

10 devoted   

adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的

参考例句：

• He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。
• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。