美国有线新闻 CNN 欧洲航天局曝光探月计划 拟2025年实现月球采矿

 

CARL AZUZ: What would you most likely find on the surface of the moon? Regolith, Dark Side, Liquid Water or Sea of Placidity¹. Regolith, also known as lunar soil or moon dust is all over the moon.

Of course, regolith is all over the earth too but that's not the kind the European Space Agency wants to start mining. It recently said it was teaming up with the European aerospace² company to look into mining lunar soil. Why? Lunar regolith, like regolith on earth has water and oxygen in it. But being able to mine those elements on the Moon could help support a potential base there. And if scientists are also able to extract³ helium 3, an isotope⁴ that's believe to be in lunar soil, they think that could be used to develop rocket fuel on the moon.

All that would add up to using the moon as a jumping off point to exploring deeper into space. Scientists hope to get this mission o?ff the ground by the year 2025. But there are some obstacles to overcome. For one thing, the rocket that would carry mining equipment to the Moon hasn't been built yet. It's currently⁵ under development. Also, the lander that would actually place the equipment on the Moon still has to be made.

So the European Space Agency is really just taking the first step here to see if mining the Moon is possible and if it makes sense in terms of funding and the resources it would require. Still, according to Fortune.com China and India are also looking into the moon as a possible source of helium 3. So there could be an international competition to mine the Moon taking place about 240,000 miles away from it.

1 placidity   

n.平静，安静，温和

参考例句：

• Miss Pross inquired,with placidity.普洛丝小姐不动声色地问。
• The swift and indifferent placidity of that look troubled me.那一扫而过的冷漠沉静的目光使我深感不安。

2 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。

3 extract   

vt.取出，提取，获得，摘录；n.摘录，提出物

参考例句：

• The article was a choice extract from her writings.这篇文章是从她的著作中摘录出来的精粹。
• We can extract oil from olive.我们可以从橄榄中榨油。

4 isotope   

n.同位素

参考例句：

• The isotope ratio is directly used for comparing oils or gases.同位素比率直接用于比较各种石油或天然气。
• How to apply a radio isotope?如何运用放射性同位素？

5 currently   

adv.通常地，普遍地，当前

参考例句：

• Currently it is not possible to reconcile this conflicting evidence.当前还未有可能去解释这一矛盾的例证。
• Our contracts are currently under review.我们的合同正在复查。