VOA标准英语2012--Retired Space Shuttle Makes Final Voyage

Retired¹ Space Shuttle Makes Final Voyage

Discovery took off after daybreak one last time, leaving its home of nearly three decades - NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

But instead of blasting off, it rode atop a special 747 jumbo jet that ferried it north. Discovery flew low over some of Washington's most famous sites, including the Washington Monument and the U.S. Capitol.

The spectacle delighted onlookers².

Discovery's flight over Washington publicized its new home - the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. 

The orbiter landed for the last time at Dulles International Airport, just outside the nation's capital.

NASA and museum officials were there to welcome the shuttle.

NASA Deputy Administrator³ Lori Garver says Discovery has quite a legacy⁴.

"She [Discovery] has had 39 missions, over 365 days in space, 5,830 orbits of the planet Earth and 148,221,675 miles [i.e., 238,539,663 kilometers] (in space)," said Garver. 

Discovery is the first orbiter of the retired shuttle fleet to join a museum collection.

On April 19, it will be moved to its new home, the Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, near the airport.

Valerie Neal is the collection curator. She was well-accessorized with shuttle-shaped earrings⁵ and a scarf with a shuttle print.

"This is one of the best days of my life, and I think one of the best days in the life of our museum," she exclaimed. "This is the culmination⁶ of a vision that we've had for a long time and several years' worth of hard work planning for this day. And it's all just come off perfectly⁷." 

Discovery's retirement⁸ is bittersweet for some people who worked on the shuttle program, including John Schindler. "The mission is over as far as going back and forth⁹ to space. But now it has a new assignment -- to educate and inspire future generations of scientists and engineers," he explained.

After nearly three decades and 135 space missions, NASA retired the shuttle fleet last year to focus on building the next generation of spacecraft that can go beyond low earth orbit. 

NASA now invests in commercial enterprises that are developing spacecraft to ferry cargo¹⁰ and crew to the International Space Station. 

John Schindler works on such a program at Boeing. "You know, the people that I see on that program are just as excited and enthused," he said. "They have the passion about human spaceflight, just like we did on the shuttle program."

By year's end, NASA's shuttles will join museum collections in Washington, D.C., Florida, New York and California, where they will continue to amaze and inspire.

1 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

2 onlookers   

n.旁观者，观看者( onlooker的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• A crowd of onlookers gathered at the scene of the crash. 在撞车地点聚集了一大群围观者。
• The onlookers stood at a respectful distance. 旁观者站在一定的距离之外，以示尊敬。

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 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。

5 earrings   

n.耳环( earring的名词复数 )；耳坠子

参考例句：

• a pair of earrings 一对耳环
• These earrings snap on with special fastener. 这付耳环是用特制的按扣扣上去的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 culmination   

n.顶点；最高潮

参考例句：

• The space race reached its culmination in the first moon walk.太空竞争以第一次在月球行走而达到顶峰。
• It may truly be regarded as the culmination of classical Greek geometry.这确实可以看成是古典希腊几何的登峰造级之作。

7 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

8 retirement   

n.退休，退职

参考例句：

• She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。
• I have to put everything away for my retirement.我必须把一切都积蓄起来以便退休后用。

9 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

10 cargo   

n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物

参考例句：

• The ship has a cargo of about 200 ton.这条船大约有200吨的货物。
• A lot of people discharged the cargo from a ship.许多人从船上卸下货物。