美国VR校车 带孩子们体验火星之旅

 American aerospace¹ company Lockheed Martin has found a really cool way to inspire the young minds of today to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). 

为了激发青少年对科技、工程和数学的兴趣，美国航天公司“洛克希德马丁”开发出了一个新奇有趣的方式。

It may look like a regular yellow bus, but that's because all the magic happens once you get inside. Meet the "Mars Experience Bus," part of Lockheed Martin's new "Generation Beyond" national education program to get the kids involved in studying what goes on outside of our home planet. The bus offers an immersive virtual reality experience making the youngsters feel like they are driving on Mars. 

它外表看起来和普通黄色校车没什么两样，不过，当你坐进去才是见证奇迹的时刻——它是一辆“火星体验车”，源自洛克希德马丁公司最新的“划时代”国家教育项目，能让孩子们探索地球家园之外的世界。这辆车提供浸入式虚拟现实场景，孩子们仿佛身临其境飞驰于火星表面。

美国VR校车 带孩子们体验火星之旅

The VR experience was developed by taking advantage of software created for today's “most advanced video games,” so you can imagine the quality of the picture is top notch². The kids do seem really excited to see the bus take a virtual trip on the red planet and explore unknown territory. It's certainly a great method to spark their curiosity about the universe via virtual reality implemented³ on an ordinary bus. 

这种虚拟现实场景是基于现有软件研发的——该软件原本用于开发当今世界“最先进的视频游戏”，所以不难想象，其视觉效果一定是顶级的。看得出来，参与穿越火星虚拟之旅、探索未知世界的孩子们，很享受那个刺激的过程。

The Lockheed Martin's vehicle will embark⁴ on a tour in the United States to allow kids from different parts of the country to take a ride in it. The Generation Beyond project also includes a neat smartphone app for iOS and Android devices providing real-time information concerning weather reports from Mars. In addition, middle school teachers have access to a free deep space curriculum. 

洛克希德马丁公司的火星体验车将环游美国，让各地的孩子们都有机会体验火星之旅。“划时代”项目也发布了一款简单易用的智能手机应用，分为iOS和安卓版，上面提供实时的火星天气预报。此外，中学教师还有机会参与一项免费的深度空间课程。

Vocabulary

virtual reality：虚拟现实(利用计算机虚拟的视觉、触觉环境，令人恍如身临其境并可在里面活动) 

top notch：拔尖的，出众的

1 aerospace   

adj.航空的，宇宙航行的

参考例句：

• The world's entire aerospace industry is feeling the chill winds of recession.全世界的航空航天工业都感受到了经济衰退的寒意。
• Edward Murphy was an aerospace engineer for the US Army.爱德华·墨菲是一名美军的航宇工程师。

2 notch   

n.(V字形)槽口，缺口，等级

参考例句：

• The peanuts they grow are top-notch.他们种的花生是拔尖的。
• He cut a notch in the stick with a sharp knife.他用利刃在棒上刻了一个凹痕。

3 implemented   

v.实现( implement的过去式和过去分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• This agreement, if not implemented, is a mere scrap of paper. 这个协定如不执行只不过是一纸空文。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The economy is in danger of collapse unless far-reaching reforms are implemented. 如果不实施影响深远的改革，经济就面临崩溃的危险。 来自辞典例句

4 embark   

vi.乘船，着手，从事，上飞机

参考例句：

• He is about to embark on a new business venture.他就要开始新的商业冒险活动。
• Many people embark for Europe at New York harbor.许多人在纽约港乘船去欧洲。