So, it certainly will be a sad day for U.S. space shuttle lovers. Next Friday, they'll be watching Shuttle Atlantis blast off for the very last time. 對美國太空梭的愛好者來說，這肯定是令人傷感的一天。下周五他們將目睹太空梭亞特蘭提斯號最後一次發射。
Well, John Zarrella takes a look back at the U.S. shuttle program and why NASA has decided to pull the plug. 約翰．札瑞拉回顧美國的太空梭計畫，以及為何美國太空總署決定要喊停。
From the beginning it was a marvelous machine, releasing from its cargo bay deep-space probes like Ulysses that went to Jupiter. 一開始時它是個了不起的機器，從太空梭酬載艙放出外太空探測船，例如飛往木星的尤里西斯號。
Astronauts ventured out untethered. 太空人沒繫安全索到艙外進行探險。
The trip to solar max estimated to take 10 minutes. 前往太陽極大期任務衛星的航程估計要花十分鐘。
To capture and retrieve failed satellites, dead in space -- dangerous feats unheard of before shuttle. 要追蹤並取回在太空中失去作用的衛星──這是在太空梭問世前未曾聽聞的危險壯舉。
Houston, I think we've got a satellite. 休士頓，我想我們抓到一顆衛星了。
The great observatory Hubble dazzles with breathtaking images of the universe, and its ability to see galaxies born nearly at the dawn of time. 偉大的哈伯太空望遠鏡可以拍下令人屏息的景象，也能夠看到從幾近時間初始就誕生的銀河系，這些都讓人驚豔不已。
Hubble has arrived onboard Atlantis with the arm. 哈伯望遠鏡在機械手臂的幫助下，登上了亞特蘭提斯號。
Hubble was launched, repaired and serviced from shuttle. 哈伯望遠鏡是靠著太空梭發射、修理及維護。
Every major building block of the football-field-long space station was carried up and assembled from shuttle. 長度約一個足球場的太空站上每一個主要組件都是由太空梭載運上太空，以及組裝完成。
Before becoming NASA's head man, Charlie Bolden was an astronaut. 查理‧波頓在成為美國太空總署的高層之前曾是一名太空人。
He flew four shuttle flights, including the Hubble launch. 他出過四趟太空梭飛行任務，包括哈伯望遠鏡發射任務。
I defy anybody -- and I will argue with my Apollo comrades -- 我的看法和所有人不同——我會和我阿波羅計畫的袍澤辯論，
the accomplishments, the achievements, the record of performance, the spinoffs, the capabilities that have been developed -- 無論是成就、性能紀錄、衍生科技、開發出來的功能等等，
what we did in shuttle over 30 years dwarf[s] what was done in the Apollo era. 我們這三十多年來在太空梭上得到的成就，讓阿波羅時代的成就相形見絀。
We can build spacecraft. We can build hardware. We can build boosters. But there's no goal. There's no mission. 我們可以建造太空船，我們可以建造硬體設備。我們可以建造推進器，但是眼前沒有目標，沒有任務。
We are wandering in a desert in space today, period. 我們現在就是在太空沙漠中漫遊，就這樣。
So why now? Why call it quits now? 那為什麼現在要喊停？
From the time of its inception 40 years ago until the shuttles are retired, the program will have cost the American taxpayers just shy of $115 billion; 從四十年前計畫開始直到太空梭退役，整個計畫將會花費美國納稅人將近一千一百五十億美元，
that's less than $4 billion a year -- a drop, if that, in the federal budget. 一年還不到四十億元，那樣的話，只是聯邦預算中的一小部分。
Still, the problem is money. 不過，問題還是出在錢上面。
There's just not enough money in NASA to continue the existing programs and start a new program at the same time. 美國太空總署沒有足夠的經費繼續現有的計畫，並同時開始新計畫。
Was it time? 時候到了嗎？
Yes, it was time. And it has been time for some time to phase out of shuttle and go back to exploration. 是的，時候到了，早就該把太空梭逐漸淘汰，重回探險之路了。
Whether you hated it or hailed it, whether you felt it a waste or worth it, 不論你討厭它還是戴擁它，認為它浪費或值得，
the shuttle was an iconic flying machine that symbolized America's inspiration and ingenuity. 太空梭是個具代表性的飛行機器，象徵著美國的啟發性與獨創性。
Roger roll. 收到，翻轉。