7月13日,就在“发现”号即将起飞的两个小时前,美国航空航天局突然宣布推迟发射计划。因为工程人员监测到航天飞机燃料传感器出现问题,由于传感器是燃料箱和宇航员之间沟通的桥梁,通过它宇航员才能得知何时可以关掉引擎,以及航天飞机是否能正常运作。外电报道如下:NASA
scrapped Wednesday's launch of the first shuttle flight in 2 1/2 years because of
a fuel gauge that mistakenly read full instead of empty, a
frustrating setback to the agency's bid to get back into space after
the Columbia tragedy.
"All I can say is shucks," deputy shuttle program manager Wayne Hale
said at a news conference of grim-faced NASA managers.
The launch was delayed until at least Saturday, and the postponement
could last much longer, depending on the repairs needed.
Shucks在此意为“表达歉意”。Shucks是美国俚语,除了表示不满或歉意时所发的声音外,还有“呸!无聊!可恶!哪有这回事!”等含义,用来表示轻微的失望、厌恶或烦恼之意。和shucks有关的美俚还有no
great shucks(没什么了不起);not to care shucks(一点不在乎)等。
据悉,造成传感器失灵的原因有可能是零件生锈,由于传感器位于燃料箱的内部,因此更换传感器的工作相当费时。
(中国日报网站编) |