U.S. Scientists Confirm Water on Mars

NASA¹scientists said that Mars was covered once by vast lakes, flowing rivers and a variety of other wet environments that had the potential to support life.

Laboratory tests aboard NASA’s Phoenix Mars Lander² have identified water in a soil sample.The lander’s robotic arm delivered the sample Wednesday to an instrument that identifies vapors produced by the heating of samples.

“We have water,” said William Boynton of the University of Arizona, lead scientist for the Thermal and Evolved-Gas Analyzer³, or TEGA. “This is the first time Martian water has been touched and tasted.”

The robotic arm is a critical part of the Phoenix Mars MISSION. It is needed to trench into the icy layers of northern polar Mars and deliver samples to instruments that will analyze what Mars is made of, what its water is like, and whether it is or has ever been a possible habitat for life.

The soil sample came from a trench approximately 2 inches deep. When the robotic arm first reached that depth, it hit a hard layer of frozen soil. Two attempts to deliver samples of icy soil on days when fresh material was exposed were foiled when the samples became stuck inside the scoop. Most of the material in Wednesday’s sample had been exposed to the air for two days, letting some of the water in the sample vaporize away and making the soil easier to handle.

“Mars is giving us some surprises,” said Phoenix principal investigator Peter Smith of the University of Arizona. “We’re excited because surprises are where discoveries come from. One surprise is how the soil is behaving. The ice-rich layers stick to the scoop when poised in the sun above the deck, different from what we expected, from all the Mars simulation testing we’ve done so far.”

Since landing on May 25, Phoenix has been studying soil with a chemistry lab, TEGA, a microscope, a conductivity probe and cameras. The science team is trying to determine whether the water ice ever thaws enough to be available for biology and if carbon-containing chemicals and other raw materials for life are present.

The mission is examining the sky as well as the ground. A Canadian instrument is using a laser beam to study dust and clouds overhead.

“It’s a 30-watt light bulb giving us a laser show on Mars,” said Victoria Hipkin of the Canadian Space Agency.

A full-circle, color panorama of Phoenix’s surroundings also has been completed by the spacecraft.

“The details and patterns we see in the ground show an ice-dominated terrain as far as the eye can see,” said Mark Lemmon of Texas A & M University, lead scientist for Phoenix’s Surface Stereo Imager⁴ camera. “They help us plan measurements we’re making within reach of the robotic arm and interpret those measurements on a wider scale. ”

 

词汇：  

foil / fɔɪl/ vt. 挫败，使成泡影

conductivity /ˌkɒndʌk"tɪvətɪ/ n. 传导陡，导电胜
scoop /sku:p/ n. 铲斗

thaw /θɔ:/ n. v. 融化，融解

vaporize /"veɪpəraɪz/ v. 使蒸发，使汽化

panorama /ˌpænəˈrɑ:mə/ n. 全貌，全景图

 

注释：

1．NASA：National Aeronautics and Space Administration（美国国家航空航天局）的缩写。 NASA总部设在华盛顿哥伦比亚特区，是美国政府系统中的航空航天科研机构，负责组织和协调美国航空航天的研究工作并提供咨询。

2．Phoenix Mars Lander：凤凰号火星登陆器。其使命是探测火星地表下的冰层，分析冰层是否曾经融化产生液态水，并计划检测火星土壤是否含有生命存活的有机物。

3．Thermal and Evolved—Gas Analyzer：热力与先进气体分析仪

4．Stereo Imager：立体图像

What was discovered by NASA"s Phoenix Mars Lander on Mars?

A:Vast lakes. B:Flowing rivers. C:Water in a soil sample. D:Living things.

This line of inquiry did not begin until earlier this month--more than three months after the accident--because there were "too many emotions, too many egos," said retired Adm. Harold Gehman, chairman of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board.
Testifying before the Senate Commerce Committee, Gehman said this part of his inquiry Was in its earliest stages, starting just 10 days ago. But Gehman said he already has concluded it is "inconceivable" that NASA would have been unable or unwilling to attempt a rescue for astronaut, s in orbit if senior shuttle managers and administrators had known there was fatal damage to Columbia’s left wing.
Gehman told reporters after the hearing that answers to these important questions could have enormous impact, since they could place in a different context NASA’s decisions against more aggressively checking possible wing damage in the days before Columbia’s fatal return.
Investigators believe breakaway insulating foam damaged part of Columbia’s wing Shortly after liftoff, allowing superheated air to penetrate the wing during its fiery re-entry on Feb. 1 and melt it from the inside.
Among those decisions was the choice by NASA’s senior shuttle managers and administrators to reject offers of satellite images of possible damage to Columbia’s left wing before the accident. The subject dominated the early part of Wednesday’s hearing. Gehman complained that managers and administrators "missed signals" when they rejected those offers for images, a pointedly harsh assessment of the space agency’s inaction during the 16 day shuttle mission.
"We will attempt to pin this issue down in our report, but there were a number of bureaucratic and administrative missed signals here," Gehman told senators. "We’re not quite so happy with the process."
The investigative board already had recommended that NASA push for better coordination between the space agency and military offices in charge of satellites and telescopes. The U. S. National Imagery and Mapping Agency in March agreed to regularly capture detailed satellite images of space shuttles in orbit.
Still, Gehman said it was unclear whether even images from America’s most sophisticated spy satellites might have detected on Columbia’s wing any damage, which Gehman said could have been as small as two inches square. The precise capabilities of such satellites was a sensitive topic during the Senate hearing.
Which of the following statements is true

A:Superheated air damaged the Columbia’s left wing shortly after liftoff. B:NASA’s rejection of satellite images was one of the focuses of Wednesday’s hearing. C:Gehman complained a lot about the harsh assessment of space agency’s inaction. D:The Investigative Board is monitoring the coordination between NASA and NIM

This line of inquiry did not begin until earlier this month--more than three months after the accident--because there were "too many emotions, too many egos," said retired Adm. Harold Gehman, chairman of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board.
Testifying before the Senate Commerce Committee, Gehman said this part of his inquiry Was in its earliest stages, starting just 10 days ago. But Gehman said he already has concluded it is "inconceivable" that NASA would have been unable or unwilling to attempt a rescue for astronaut, s in orbit if senior shuttle managers and administrators had known there was fatal damage to Columbia’s left wing.
Gehman told reporters after the hearing that answers to these important questions could have enormous impact, since they could place in a different context NASA’s decisions against more aggressively checking possible wing damage in the days before Columbia’s fatal return.
Investigators believe breakaway insulating foam damaged part of Columbia’s wing Shortly after liftoff, allowing superheated air to penetrate the wing during its fiery re-entry on Feb. 1 and melt it from the inside.
Among those decisions was the choice by NASA’s senior shuttle managers and administrators to reject offers of satellite images of possible damage to Columbia’s left wing before the accident. The subject dominated the early part of Wednesday’s hearing. Gehman complained that managers and administrators "missed signals" when they rejected those offers for images, a pointedly harsh assessment of the space agency’s inaction during the 16 day shuttle mission.
"We will attempt to pin this issue down in our report, but there were a number of bureaucratic and administrative missed signals here," Gehman told senators. "We’re not quite so happy with the process."
The investigative board already had recommended that NASA push for better coordination between the space agency and military offices in charge of satellites and telescopes. The U. S. National Imagery and Mapping Agency in March agreed to regularly capture detailed satellite images of space shuttles in orbit.
Still, Gehman said it was unclear whether even images from America’s most sophisticated spy satellites might have detected on Columbia’s wing any damage, which Gehman said could have been as small as two inches square. The precise capabilities of such satellites was a sensitive topic during the Senate hearing.
The best title for this passage could be ______.

A:Gehman’s Comment on Columbia Accident B:NASA’s Problems Exposed C:An Inquiry into Columbia Accident D:A Reflection on Shuttle’s Safety

Text 3

The best title for this passage could be ______.

A:Gehman’s Comment on Columbia Accident B:NASA’s Problems Exposed C:An Inquiry into Columbia Accident D:A Reflection on Shuttle’s Safety

It is implied in the text that the contracts would fail to inform the public of NASA' s new vision if

A:the new moonships will be launched together. B:NASA' s Crew Exploration Vehicle could not be manipulated with the help of ground-based equipment. C:the agency' s plans are not carried out faithfully. D:NASA' s Crew Exploration Vehicle could not be employed together with the rest parts of the plan.

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(航开飞机)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 me orbital space plane(轨道航天飞机), which would be designed to transport a crew of four to and from the International Space Station.
Although it includes few specifics, the plan states the orbiter(轨道航天飞机)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(决定性的) 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 exist concerning the loss of Columbia and its seven, member crew- on February 1, 2003.
Expels 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(倡议), 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.
U. S. 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 Next Generation Launch Technology.
The design of the orbiter indicates ______.

A:NASA’s determination to continue space exploration. B:NASA’s disadvantage in space technology. C:the great pressure from Congress on NAS D:a heavy defeat for NAS

{{B}}第三篇{{/B}}

The design of the orbiter indicates

A:NASA’s determination to continue space exploration. B:NASA’s disadvantage in space technology. C:the great pressure from Congress on ＮＡＳＡ. D:a heavy defeat for ＮＡＳＡ.

第三篇 Human Space Exploration 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(航天飞机)on space stationmissions 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 me orbital space plane(轨道航天飞机)，which would be designed to transport a crew of four to and from the International Space Station． Although it includes few specifics，the plan states the orbiter(轨道航天飞机)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(决定性的)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 exist concerning the loss of Columbia and its seven．member crew on February l，2003．． Expels 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(倡议)，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． U．S．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 Next Generation Launch Technology． The design of the orbiter indicates

A:NASA’s determination to continue space exploration． B:NASA’s disadvantage in space technology． C:the great pressure from Congress on NAS D:a heavy defeat for NAS