世界节假日博览 第133期:美国太空总署纪念日

 　　NASA, the National Aeronautics¹ and Space Administration was established on July 29th, 1958. It was responsible for the USA’s space exploration programme. NASA has changed the way we live here on Earth, and the way we look at the universe. President Dwight D. Eisenhower created it to counter the Soviet² Union’s space programme. For several decades, NASA became involved in the Space Race that saw some of the greatest achievements in human history. The Apollo project put the first man, Neil Armstrong, on the Moon in 1969; Skylab was launched in 1973 and became the first space station; and the first reusable Space Shuttle blasted off in 1981. Other milestones³ include the Hubble Telescope and the International Space Station.

　　美国国家航空航天局（NASA）成立于1958年7月29日。专门负责美国太空探索项目。它改变了我们的生活方式，以及我们看待宇宙的方式。为对抗前苏联太空计划，艾森豪威尔总统成立航天局。数十年以来，航天局参与了太空竞赛，并创造了许多人类史上的伟大成就。1969年，阿波罗计划首次将人类（尼尔·阿姆斯特朗）送入月球；1973年，航天局发射Skylab空间站，成为全球第一个空间站；1981年，首架可多次使用的航天飞机发射。其它里程碑式成就包括哈勃空间望远镜，以及国际空间站。

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　　NASA will never stop exploring. Its mission is to find out as much as it can about our universe. In early February 2006, NASA said its aim was: “To explore the universe and search for life; to inspire the next generation of explorers, as only NASA can.” US President George W. Bush announced a new plan for astronauts to return to the Moon by 2018. He said NASA would set up a Moon Base for future missions to Mars and beyond. In 2007, NASA stated it aimed to put a man on Mars by 2037. There are also plans to explore Saturn⁴ and study the Sun. NASA spacecraft are presently on their way to Mercury and Pluto⁵. Other planned missions cover over half the solar system. As NASA’s motto says, this is “For the benefit of all”.

　　NASA的脚步将永不停歇。它的目标就是尽可能的探索宇宙。2006年2月初，NASA称它的目标是探索宇宙，寻找外来生命体；激发下一代探索者，这些只有NASA可以做到。美国总统小布什计划到2018年，将宇航员重新送入月球。他称NASA将建造月球基地，以此为登陆火星等行星提供平台。2007年，NASA宣布将在2037年前将人类送往火星。还有关于探索土星和太阳的计划。目前，NASA航天器正在向飞往水星和冥王星而努力。其它计划囊括了多半个太阳系。正如NASA格言所说，此举将让全人类获益。

 

1 aeronautics   

n.航空术，航空学

参考例句：

• National Aeronautics and Space undertakings have made great progress.国家的航空航天事业有了很大的发展。
• He devoted every spare moment to aeronautics.他把他所有多余的时间用在航空学上。

2 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。

3 milestones   

n.重要事件( milestone的名词复数 )；重要阶段；转折点；里程碑

参考例句：

• Several important milestones in foreign policy have been passed by this Congress and they can be chalked up as major accomplishments. 这次代表大会通过了对外政策中几起划时代的事件，并且它们可作为主要成就记录下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Dale: I really envy your milestones over the last few years, Don. 我真的很羡慕你在过去几年中所建立的丰功伟绩。 来自互联网

4 Saturn   

n.农神，土星

参考例句：

• Astronomers used to ask why only Saturn has rings.天文学家们过去一直感到奇怪，为什么只有土星有光环。
• These comparisons suggested that Saturn is made of lighter materials.这些比较告诉我们，土星由较轻的物质构成。

5 Pluto   

n.冥王星

参考例句：

• Pluto is the furthest planet from the sun.冥王星是离太阳最远的行星。
• Pluto has an elliptic orbit.冥王星的轨道是椭圆形的。