阿波罗［探测外太空火箭］过后，美国宇航局的领导放弃了对星球的探测。他们搁置或取消了天文及太空任务，而将该局的前途赌在航天飞机及太空站一类的硬件上。

After Apollo, NASA’s leaders turned their backs on the stars and planets. They delayed or canceled astronomy and space missions, gambling the agency’s future on hardware like the space shuttle and space station.