VOA标准英语2009年-South Korea Fails to Put Satellite In Orbi

South Korea has launched a rocket that was intended to place a satellite into space. However, the satellite has failed to go into orbit.
　
South Korea's first space rocket, takes off from the launch pad at the Naro Space Center, south of Seoul, South Korea, 25 Aug 2009

At 5 p.m., the Korea Space Launch Vehicle 1 blasted off from South Korea's Naro Space Center.

The KSLV 1 carried a satellite that South Korea's space agency intended to put into orbit 300 kilometers above the earth.

Speaking after the launch, Ahn Byong-man South Korea's minister of Education, Science and Technology, thanked the nation for its support.

Ahn says after the lift off, the first and second stage engines were operating fine and that the rocket's separation with the satellite was successful. But it exceeded its desired orbit and separated at a higher altitude. The space agency will investigate what went wrong.

Tuesday's launch comes after a series of setbacks. Most recently, the original lift off date of August 19 was scrapped¹ due to technical problems.

The KSLV 1 was constructed primarily using Russian technology. But By 2018, South Korea plans to launch space-bound vehicles entirely² manufactured domestically.

South Korea's rocketry program lags behind those of its neighbors Japan and China. And rival North Korea already has launched rockets into space.

In April, Pyongyang says it put a communications satellite into orbit during a successful rocket launch. However, Washington, Tokyo and Seoul contend that North Korea's satellite never made it into outer space. They condemned³ the launch as a cover-up for a long-range missile test.

North Korea said earlier this month that it would closely watch the international community's response to South Korea's rocket launch. A statement carried by official media there accused other nations of not treating North Korea's space exploration program equally.

South Korean officials reject comparisons with Pyongyang's rocket launches. They say that unlike the North's space program, the South's is not done in secret and is done for peaceful research. South Korea has previously⁴ placed its satellites into orbit using rockets launched by other countries.

1 scrapped   

废弃(scrap的过去式与过去分词)； 打架

参考例句：

• This machine is so old that it will soon have to be scrapped. 这架机器太旧，快报废了。
• It had been thought that passport controls would be scrapped. 人们曾认为会放开护照管制。

2 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

3 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

4 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。