2007年VOA标准英语-Japanese Satellite Lost in Russian Rocket Explo

By Peter Fedynsky
Moscov
06 September 2007

Kazakhstan has suspended launches of the Russian Proton rocket at the Baikonur Space Center following a failed liftoff and loss of the payload, a Japanese communications satellite. VOA Moscow Correspondent Peter Fedynsky has this report.

Russian Proton-M rocket (file)

The Russian Proton-M rocket exploded 139 seconds after a pre-dawn liftoff from Kazakhstan's Baikonur Space Center.

Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev's special representative at Baikonur, Adilbek Bassekeyev, says a prior agreement between Russia and Kazakhstan stipulates¹ the automatic suspension of Proton launches until all issues are cleared up.

Preliminary reports indicate an engine malfunction² and steering³ problem in the rocket's second stage.

A spokesman for the Khrunichev Space Center, which produces the Proton launch vehicle, says an official investigation⁴ will look into the failure.

Rocket parts fell to the ground in an uninhabited area 40-50 kilometers from the town of Dzhezkazgan in central Kazakhstan.

The payload, a communications satellite owned by Japan's JSAT Corporation, was intended for re-transmission of television signals to Japan, the Asia-Pacific region and the Hawaiian Islands. The French news agency AFP quotes JSAT officials as saying the satellite was to have replaced one that is now in orbit.

Russian military analyst⁵ Pavel Felgenhauer tells the VOA the device was insured, but will take years to replace. He says the Proton rocket is considered very reliable. But the analyst adds that the quality of Russian rockets has declined since the Soviet⁶ collapse⁷.

Felgenhauer says this is very serious, because the Proton has liquid heptyl fuel, a cancer-causing substance, which could have fallen on populated areas, although that part of Kazakhstan is not very populated.

Felgenhauer adds the rocket explosion could hurt Russian profits in the satellite launch business, which is considered to be the most lucrative⁸ part of the space industry.

1 stipulates   

n.（尤指在协议或建议中）规定，约定，讲明（条件等）( stipulate的名词复数 )；规定，明确要求v.（尤指在协议或建议中）规定，约定，讲明（条件等）( stipulate的第三人称单数 )；规定，明确要求

参考例句：

• The trade contract stipulates for the settlement of balances in RMB. 贸易合同规定余额以人民币结算。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The contract stipulates for the use of seasoned timber. 合同上订明用干透的木料。 来自辞典例句

2 malfunction   

vi.发生功能故障，发生故障，显示机能失常

参考例句：

• There must have been a computer malfunction.一定是出了电脑故障。
• Results have been delayed owing to a malfunction in the computer.由于电脑发生故障，计算结果推迟了。

3 steering   

n.操舵装置

参考例句：

• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration. 他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。
• Steering according to the wind, he also framed his words more amicably. 他真会看风使舵，口吻也马上变得温和了。

4 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。

5 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

6 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。

7 collapse   

vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。

8 lucrative   

adj.赚钱的，可获利的

参考例句：

• He decided to turn his hobby into a lucrative sideline.他决定把自己的爱好变成赚钱的副业。
• It was not a lucrative profession.那是一个没有多少油水的职业。