2007年VOA标准英语-Space Shuttle Set to Blast Off

By Paul Sisco
Washington, D.C.
07 June 2007
 

The first of four shuttle missions to the International Space Station this year is set for late Friday.

 

Space shuttle Atlantis

The shuttle Atlantis is on the launch pad and everything looks good for Friday's scheduled evening liftoff.  On Tuesday, NASA Test Director Steve Payne briefed reporters at the Kennedy Space Center.

"All our systems right now are in great shape,” Payne reports.  “We are tracking no constraints¹ that are show stoppers, teams are ready and everyone's eager to launch."

Atlantis was scheduled to fly in mid-March, but a freak hailstorm left thousands of pits on the external fuel tank delaying that space flight.

NASA weather officer Kathy Winter says there is a 30 percent chance weather could interfere² with this week's launch.  "For the coast here the weather looks reasonably promising³ for launch,” Winter says.  “We do expect to see some afternoon thunderstorms in the area on launch day, but by launch time all that weather should move inland with the sea breeze."

Commander Rick Sturckow and rest of his crew arrived at the NASA space center in Florida on Monday.  "If you can just get some weather for us like this for Friday evening we'll really appreciate that too,” Sturckow commented.  “The crew is very excited to be here in Florida. We spent a long time training for this mission. We just flew by the launch pad 39 Alfa. It looks great."

This is scheduled as an 11-day mission.  The seven spacemen plan to install a third pair of solar wings and another large module⁴ to the International Space Station.

There will be three, possibly four space walks, and astronaut Sunita  'Suni' Williams will be replaced as a crew member on the station, by flight engineer Clayton Anderson.  This is the 21st NASA mission to the International Space Station.  Three more are scheduled for this year.
 

1 constraints   

强制( constraint的名词复数 )； 限制； 约束

参考例句：

• Data and constraints can easily be changed to test theories. 信息库中的数据和限制条件可以轻易地改变以检验假设。 来自英汉非文学 - 科学史
• What are the constraints that each of these imply for any design? 这每种产品的要求和约束对于设计意味着什么？ 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

2 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

3 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

4 module   

n.组件，模块，模件；(航天器的)舱

参考例句：

• The centre module displays traffic guidance information.中央模块显示交通引导信息。
• Two large tanks in the service module held liquid oxygen.服务舱的两个大气瓶中装有液态氧。