与过去这些巨型的火箭相比，航天飞机可能看起来像个“小不点”，但其28年的飞行历史使它成为助推器调配很好的标杆。

NASA’s space shuttle fleet may seem puny compared to giant rockets of the past, but its 28-year flight history makes it a good measuring stick when it comes to booster match-ups.

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亚特兰蒂斯号2002年在执行飞行任务的过程中，一橡胶密封圈破裂，左固体火箭助推器受损，好在当时没有防障任务的执行或影响飞行计划的完成。

During the 2002 Atlantis flight, a piece of insulation broke off and damaged the left solid rocket booster but did not impede the mission or the programme.

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10月10日，维珍银河公司执行太空旅游任务的火箭助推太空飞船二号完成了首次单独滑翔飞行，朝最终携带付费乘客旅行又跨出了一大步。

Virgin Galactic's space tourism rocket SpaceShipTwo achieved its first solo glide flight yesterday, marking another step in the company's eventual plans to fly paying passengers.

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