職稱英語考試綜合類閱讀理解英文及譯文：軌道航天飛機
當科學家們在尋找哥倫比亞號災難的起因時，國家航空航天局已開始著手于新型飛行器的開發(fā)計劃。這種飛行器將在2012年之前取代現(xiàn)有的穿梭機執(zhí)行空間站任務，并且能對緊急情況作出迅速反應。
幾天前，國家航空航天局公布了軌道航天飛機的第一批任務要求，它的設計必須能夠運送四名機組人員往返空間站。
盡管沒有透露很多細節(jié)，這項計劃保證了飛機更為安全，價格更低，準備時間也少于穿梭機。在2012年前，它將可以運送四名成員，但在2010年前，它就將可以執(zhí)行救援任務。國家航空航天局表示，這一飛行器能夠在24小時之內(nèi)將受傷或生病的空間站工作人員運送到最權威的醫(yī)療機構。
新計劃的公布表明了盡管2003年2月1日哥倫比亞號墜毀及其7名機組人員喪生所帶來的問題仍然存在，國家航空航天局仍舊關注于其在太空探索領域的長期優(yōu)勢所在。
位于阿拉巴馬州漢茨威爾的馬歇爾太空飛行中心的專家們近年來一直致力于飛行器繼任者的研究?！翱臻g發(fā)射倡議”在去年被分為兩部分：一部分聚焦于未來的發(fā)射裝置，另一部分則著力于軌道航天飛機。而軌道航天飛機將會更快實現(xiàn)。
該項目的負責人說，國家航空航天局的官員們告訴他們不要因為哥倫比亞號災難而改變這一項目。
美國總統(tǒng)布什已經(jīng)向國會要求10億美元，用于2004年該項目的研究。這一資金將平分給軌道航天飛機項目及新一代發(fā)射技術項目。
Orbital Space Plane
While scientists are searching the cause of the Columbia disaster, NASA is moving ahead with plans to develop a new craft that would replace shuttles on space station missions by 2012 and respond quickly to space station emergencies.
The space agency released the first set of mission needs and requirements several days ago for the orbital space plane, which would be designed to transport a crew of four to and from the Interational Space Station.
Although it includes few specifics, the plan stipulates the orbiter will be safer, cheaper and require less preparation time than the shuttle. It would be able to transport four crew members by 2012- though it would be available for rescue missions by 2010. NASA says the craft should be able to transport injured or ill space station crew members to “definitive” medical care within 24 hours.
The release of the requirements showed NASA remains focused on the long –term priorities of space exploration, even as questions linger concerning the loss of Columbia and its seven-member crew on February 1,2003.
Experts at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama,have been working for years on a successor to the shuttle. The project, known as the Space Launch Initiative,was divided last year into two parts – one focusing on a future launch vehicle, the other on a space station orbiter. The orbiter is expected to be ready sooner.
The program’s managers say NASA officials have told them not to alter Space Launch Initiative in light of the Columbia disaster.
US President George W.Bush asked Congress for about US＄1 billion for Space Launch Initiative in 2004, funds that would be almost equally split between the Orbital Space Plane and NextGeneration Launch Technology.
當科學家們在尋找哥倫比亞號災難的起因時，國家航空航天局已開始著手于新型飛行器的開發(fā)計劃。這種飛行器將在2012年之前取代現(xiàn)有的穿梭機執(zhí)行空間站任務，并且能對緊急情況作出迅速反應。
幾天前，國家航空航天局公布了軌道航天飛機的第一批任務要求，它的設計必須能夠運送四名機組人員往返空間站。
盡管沒有透露很多細節(jié)，這項計劃保證了飛機更為安全，價格更低，準備時間也少于穿梭機。在2012年前，它將可以運送四名成員，但在2010年前，它就將可以執(zhí)行救援任務。國家航空航天局表示，這一飛行器能夠在24小時之內(nèi)將受傷或生病的空間站工作人員運送到最權威的醫(yī)療機構。
新計劃的公布表明了盡管2003年2月1日哥倫比亞號墜毀及其7名機組人員喪生所帶來的問題仍然存在，國家航空航天局仍舊關注于其在太空探索領域的長期優(yōu)勢所在。
位于阿拉巴馬州漢茨威爾的馬歇爾太空飛行中心的專家們近年來一直致力于飛行器繼任者的研究?！翱臻g發(fā)射倡議”在去年被分為兩部分：一部分聚焦于未來的發(fā)射裝置，另一部分則著力于軌道航天飛機。而軌道航天飛機將會更快實現(xiàn)。
該項目的負責人說，國家航空航天局的官員們告訴他們不要因為哥倫比亞號災難而改變這一項目。
美國總統(tǒng)布什已經(jīng)向國會要求10億美元，用于2004年該項目的研究。這一資金將平分給軌道航天飛機項目及新一代發(fā)射技術項目。
Orbital Space Plane
While scientists are searching the cause of the Columbia disaster, NASA is moving ahead with plans to develop a new craft that would replace shuttles on space station missions by 2012 and respond quickly to space station emergencies.
The space agency released the first set of mission needs and requirements several days ago for the orbital space plane, which would be designed to transport a crew of four to and from the Interational Space Station.
Although it includes few specifics, the plan stipulates the orbiter will be safer, cheaper and require less preparation time than the shuttle. It would be able to transport four crew members by 2012- though it would be available for rescue missions by 2010. NASA says the craft should be able to transport injured or ill space station crew members to “definitive” medical care within 24 hours.
The release of the requirements showed NASA remains focused on the long –term priorities of space exploration, even as questions linger concerning the loss of Columbia and its seven-member crew on February 1,2003.
Experts at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama,have been working for years on a successor to the shuttle. The project, known as the Space Launch Initiative,was divided last year into two parts – one focusing on a future launch vehicle, the other on a space station orbiter. The orbiter is expected to be ready sooner.
The program’s managers say NASA officials have told them not to alter Space Launch Initiative in light of the Columbia disaster.
US President George W.Bush asked Congress for about US＄1 billion for Space Launch Initiative in 2004, funds that would be almost equally split between the Orbital Space Plane and NextGeneration Launch Technology.