VOA标准英语2012--NASA Reflects on Past, Plans for Mars

NASA Reflects on Past, Plans for Mars

U.S. astronaut John Glenn first orbited the Earth 50 years ago on February 20, 1962. And when he returned, an adoring public greeted him, along with a burgeoning¹ U.S. space program that propelled men to the moon in 1969.
Decades later, astronaut Cady Coleman is part of NASA's human space exploration legacy². She has been to space three times, including a nearly six-month stay on the International Space Station last year.
"The fact that we have a space station in orbit right now, six people living up there - working, doing experiments that we can't do down here - it makes me very excited about the future," said Coleman.
President Barack Obama says that future includes plans to send people to Mars.
NASA Administrator³ Charles Bolden recently outlined the proposed budget for next year.
"The missions currently at Mars, the Mars Science Laboratory on its way, and MAVEN [i.e., the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile⁴ EvolutioN mission] - well into development - will provide many years of data to help us understand the Red Planet and our needs in future years to meet the president's challenge to send humans to Mars in the mid-2030s," said Bolden.
Rovers, landers and orbiters already provide scientists with details about Mars. The Mars Science Laboratory, also known as Curiosity, is set to land on the Red Planet in August. The Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution(MAVEN), spacecraft that would study the Martian atmosphere could launch as early as next year.
But there are also projected cuts. Bolden has announced that NASA will not move forward with the ExoMars missions, a joint⁵ NASA-European Space Agency endeavor. The ExoMars mission set for 2016 to search for gaseous⁶ clues about possible life on Mars was supposed to be the first in a series of planned Mars collaborations.
NASA astronaut Cady Coleman says she is confident that humans will get to Mars one day.
"It's not going to be as soon as any of us would like, but we're not a patient people, not here in the U.S. and not around the world," noted⁷ Coleman. "People are destined⁸ to explore, and we live in a universe. Mars is the next logical choice, technically⁹, and we'll be there when we're ready, and I'm a big fan of being ready. I actually want to send people to Mars and have them come back, and we have a lot of work to do before we're ready to do that."
Coleman says she would gladly return to space, a sentiment demonstrated by one of NASA's original seven astronauts.
Thirty-six years after his orbital flight, John Glenn broke new boundaries, lifting off aboard the space shuttle in 1998 to become, at age 77, the oldest person to fly in space.

1 burgeoning   

adj.迅速成长的，迅速发展的v.发芽，抽枝( burgeon的现在分词 )；迅速发展；发（芽），抽（枝）

参考例句：

• Our company's business is burgeoning now. 我们公司的业务现在发展很迅速。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• These efforts were insufficient to contain the burgeoning crisis. 这些努力不足以抑制迅速扩散的危机。 来自辞典例句

2 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。

3 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。

4 volatile   

adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质

参考例句：

• With the markets being so volatile,investments are at great risk.由于市场那么变化不定，投资冒着很大的风险。
• His character was weak and volatile.他这个人意志薄弱，喜怒无常。

5 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

6 gaseous   

adj.气体的，气态的

参考例句：

• Air whether in the gaseous or liquid state is a fluid.空气，无论是气态的或是液态的，都是一种流体。
• Freon exists both in liquid and gaseous states.氟利昂有液态和气态两种形态。

7 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

8 destined   

adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的

参考例句：

• It was destined that they would marry.他们结婚是缘分。
• The shipment is destined for America.这批货物将运往美国。

9 technically   

adv.专门地，技术上地

参考例句：

• Technically it is the most advanced equipment ever.从技术上说，这是最先进的设备。
• The tomato is technically a fruit,although it is eaten as a vegetable.严格地说，西红柿是一种水果，尽管它是当作蔬菜吃的。