2017考研英語閱讀精選：NASA計劃將人類帶上火星

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NASA Designing Systems to Take Humans to Mars

NASA計劃將人類帶上火星

At the Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama, engineers and scientists are working out how to make the Mars mission a reality.

在阿拉巴馬州的馬歇爾航天中心，工程師和科學家們正在忙于實現火星計劃。

Paul Gilbert, manager of the science programs office at the Center, says they’re still in the very early stages of working out how to get to the red planet.

中心的科學項目辦公室主任Paul Gilbert說他們仍然在研究如何到達這顆紅色星球的初級階段。

"Part of that is working with our partners from the International Space Station. We’re working through that organization, having discussions, what are their ideas, here are some of our ideas. And so, we’re in the early sketchpad phases of trying to work that out and the partners have ideas and desires and things they want to do in cislunar space."

“研究的一部分是和我們在國際空間站的伙伴們合作的。我們正和整個空間站合作，我們會討論，交換他們的想法和我們的想法。并且，我們目前還在早期的畫板階段，嘗試去解決問題，而我們的伙伴們也有想法和欲望以及有能力做我們想在地月空間做的事。”

Teams at the Marshall Space Flight Center are taking ideas from concept to design, developing spacecraft that will land on Mars and support life in frigid temperatures.

馬歇爾航空中心的研究組還在從理論中提取可行的點，研發能在火星上降落以及在低溫下維持生命的飛船。

At the Advanced Concepts Office, aerospace engineer Tara Polsgrove is giving a presentation about designs for a Mars lander that would safely deliver humans to the surface of the planet.

在高科技理念辦公室，航空工程師Tara Polsgrove正在就能將人類安全送至火星表面的火星降落設計作報告。

A Mars lander is essentially two parts. The bottom half is the descent stage, it has the propulsion systems on it to enable that soft landing. And, on top, is the payload. So, we treat this kind of like a flatbed truck. So, any kind of payload would sit on top.

一個能降落火星的飛行器有兩個非常重要的部分。下半截是下降平臺，那上面有推進系統來保證平穩降落。上面部分是有效荷載。因此，我們像對待平板車一樣對待這部分。因此任何種類的有效荷載都會在上面。

Elsewhere in the facility, designs for a spacecraft that would take humans through deep space are being tested.

為載人進入外太空而設計的飛行器里的其他地方都會進行測試。

NASA’s David Smitherman is a specialist in space habitats and he explains what the facility contains.

NASA的David Smitherman是空間居住環境的專家，他解釋了一個飛行器的構造。

"You have a utility room down on the lower level, exercise room, kind of like a basement, downstairs. Your main floor level has room for the four bedrooms for the crew."

“在較低位置有一個雜物間，活動間在樓下，有點像地下室。主層位置有四個為工作人員準備的臥室。”

Teams are also using simulated Martian rock and soil to advance 3-D printing that could help astronauts build structures on Mars with materials already there.

研究小組還使用模擬火星巖土來改良3D打印技術，這會幫助宇航員對火星上存在的物質建模。

Sections of the Space Launch System, which will carry the Orion spacecraft, are being constructed across the United States.

空間發射系統會帶動獵戶座飛船，它的各部分是在美國范圍內聯合制造的。

NASA scientists and engineers are now working towards the first flight of Orion on top of the Space Launch System rocket. This test will not have humans on board.

NASA的科學家和工程師現在正在研究將獵戶座飛船安置在空間發射系統上的第一次飛行。這次測試不會載人。

Rocket engines are being tested and NASA expects the launch of the first version of the SLS in 2018.

火箭的性能正在進行測試，NASA希望能在2018年進行SLS的第一次發射。

The first expedition to Mars is planned for the 2030s.

第一次火星考察計劃將會在2030到2039年實現。