PBS高端访谈:在美国航天局探索火星之前,"猎户座"载人飞船将会进行测试

 　　JUDY WOODRUFF: For the first time in more than four decades, NASA is set to launch a space capsule tomorrow that has grander plans of human exploration into deep space. This time, the Orion spacecraft will be unmanned. But it is an important test flight, and the first of many, as NASA tries to chart a longer-term vision for human flight.

　　Science correspondent Miles O'Brien has our report.

　　MILES O'BRIEN: At a 50-year-old facility that tested the heat shields for NASA's Mercury and Apollo capsules, engineers are working on ways to protect a crew of astronauts returning to Earth from a voyage to Mars.

　　JEREMY VANDER KAM, NASA Engineer: It's really a whole new ball game in terms of the mission requirements and what we have done before.

　　MILES O'BRIEN: Aerospace¹ engineer Jeremy Vander Kam is working on the thermal² protection system for NASA's Orion spacecraft, a capsule that has been described as Apollo on steroids.

　　JEREMY VANDER KAM: So what we use is a material called Avcoat. It's actually a derivation of the same material used in the Apollo program for the Apollo heat shield. So, on the Orion heat shield, there's over 300,000 of these individual cells that are all filled by hand.

　　MILES O'BRIEN: Vander Kam is using the venerable Art Jet facility at NASA's Ames Research Center to torch small samples at the heat shield with blistering³ hot gases moving at hypersonic speeds in a vacuum. It's as close to a real reentry from space as you can get on the ground.

　　JEREMY VANDER KAM: Well, this is a four-inch diameter puck. And the Orion capsule is five meters in diameter. So, we obviously have some challenges in scale. And so we really rely at the end of the day on a flight test like — if you want to tell us how those parts of the system are going to work.

　　MILES O'BRIEN: EFT1, or Exploration Flight Test 1, will subject an uncrewed Orion capsule to a real-world trial by fire on its maiden⁴ voyage, giving Vander Kam the data he needs and NASA a big milestone⁵.

　　Bill Hill is a NASA associate administrator⁶.

　　BILL HILL, NASA: EFT1 is absolutely the biggest thing that this agency is going to do this year.

　　MILES O'BRIEN: Orion is slated⁷ to orbit the Earth twice, once at an altitude of about 500 miles. And then it will get a lift from a second-stage booster to 3,600 miles, high enough for the capsule to be exposed to a big dose of space radiation and to create enough speed on reentry to generate 80 percent of the heat it would encounter on a return from the moon.

　　BILL HILL: This is really our first step in our journey to Mars.

　　MILES O'BRIEN: NASA envisions a human presence on Mars in the mid-2030s.

　　Charlie Bolden is the agency's administrator.

　　CHARLES BOLDEN, NASA: I use the term pioneer instead of explore. Exploring implies we're going to go out and come back, like Lewis and Clark. We're intending to pioneer Mars, which means we are going to put people on that planet to be there permanently⁸.

　　MILES O'BRIEN: But NASA is a long way from that.

　　WILLIAM GERSTENMAIER, NASA: If you ask us to go to Mars today, we don't think we're in the right risk posture⁹.

　　MILES O'BRIEN: Bill Gerstenmaier is the man in charge of human space exploration at NASA. The current plan calls for an unpiloted Orion capsule to orbit the moon in 2018 and in 2021 or 2022 carry two astronauts on a short visit to small asteroid¹⁰ or a piece of a larger one that would be robotically grabbed and nudged into lunar orbit. There are no firm plans for what happened after that.

　　Engineers are dealing¹¹ with some big technical hurdles¹², how to protect the crew from radiation, how to land something much bigger than a compact-car-sized rover on Mars, and how humans can safely operate independent of support from Earth.

　　WILLIAM GERSTENMAIER: The basic strategy that we're trying to do is, we do a series of test, each one of more and more complexity¹³ and more and more challenge, that we continue to add, until eventually we build the capabilities¹⁴ and the skills and the operational techniques and the risk management philosophy that allows us to go to Mars.

　　MILES O'BRIEN: There are many seasoned hands in the space world who wonder if the agency's big plans to visit the Red Planet may become lost in space.

　　Tom Young is among them.

　　THOMAS YOUNG, Former NASA Executive: And I think a fundamental problem that we have with today's Mars strategy is that it's not consistent with the available budget, and we don't have the funds to really make it an executable plan.

　　MILES O'BRIEN: Young is a veteran aerospace executive who knows a little something about getting to the Red Planet.

　　A. THOMAS YOUNG: I'm assuming we must be sitting right on the X. So that's the smooth area. So, everybody just did fabulous¹⁵. And couldn't be more pleased. Thank you.

　　MILES O'BRIEN: He was NASA's program manager for the Viking missions in the mid-1970s, which accomplished¹⁶ the first and second successful landings on Mars.

　　A. THOMAS YOUNG: We have either got to augment¹⁷ the resources to make the goal achievable, or we have got to adjust the goal to be something that's consistent with the available resources, because, if we don't, what we're funding is going to do is, we're going to — we're going to waste a lot of money.

　　Ignition and liftoff of Ares I-X.

　　MILES O'BRIEN: In 2010, President Obama canceled the Bush administration's Constellation¹⁸ program, which envisioned a return to the moon.

　　PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: I understand that some believe that we should attempt a return to the surface of the moon first, as previously¹⁹ planned. But I just have to say, pretty bluntly here, we have been there before.

　　MILES O'BRIEN: Obama wanted NASA to use the money Constellation would have spent on a capsule and rocket made of Apollo and shuttle legacy²⁰ hardware to push the development of new propulsion technology and seed the private sector²¹ to build new vehicles.

　　But the cancellation²² of Constellation ruffled²³ the feathers of some heavyweights in the aerospace world and on Capitol Hill. Senator Richard Shelby of Alabama represents NASA's primary rocket-building facility, Huntsville's Marshall Space Flight Center. He helped force the administration to spend less on new technology and instead design a rocket called the Space Launch System, or SLS.

　　Led by Shelby's constituents²⁴ in Huntsville, SLS is being built with beefed-up, shuttle-style solid boosters and surplus shuttle main engines.

　　SEN. RICHARD SHELBY, (R) Alabama: These were very successful engines. And we build on what we have. That's why we learn. And this is tomorrow's technology. We will learn from this. And there will be other things that will come out of it that will be positive. But you just don't reinvent the wheel. You build on the wheel. And these were good wheels.

　　MILES O'BRIEN: But, as it is, SLS doesn't have enough thrust to go any farther than lunar orbit. That's what prompted the idea of bringing an asteroid to the moon. Otherwise, SLS is a rocket without a destination.

　　For a mission to Mars, it will need a redesign with more powerful boosters and a new second-stage motor.

　　Former NASA deputy administrator Lori Garver was one of the leading proponents²⁵ of the original Obama space plan.

　　LORI GARVER, Former Deputy Administrator, NASA: If you were driving to Mars in particular, there's a number of things you would be doing that we're not doing now that are the difficult things. You wouldn't be building a spacecraft now based on technology from 40 years ago, engines from 40 years ago to go somewhere in 20 years, and spending $3 billion to $4 billion a year on that.

　　MILES O'BRIEN: Garver believes NASA's current path to Mars is a hybrid²⁶ of ideas born not of engineering elegance²⁷, but, rather, political compromise.

　　LORI GARVER: The purpose has become political and jobs. And I think we're — we have lost the sort of unifying²⁸ view that exploration is something that we do as a species.

　　We should have that broader purpose, rather than just the political needs of a few members of Congress with jobs in their district.

　　MILES O'BRIEN: Senator Shelby rejects the notion that space exploration has become a jobs program.

　　SEN. RICHARD SHELBY: Well, I would be against a jobs program. I'm for the cutting edge of space. Jobs come with it if you have got a good system that you're building. And I believe this will be a good system and be good for the space program. Otherwise, I wouldn't support it.

　　MILES O'BRIEN: But will a half-a-loaf with a side of bacon ever get NASA to Mars? Is there enough money in NASA's budget to pay for the compromise and still reach the stars?

　　John Holdren is President Obama's science adviser²⁹.

　　JOHN HOLDREN, Director, Office of Science and Technology Policy: So, I don't think the current budgets amount to kicking the can down the road. They amount to, within reasonable limits, getting done the steps that we need to achieve in order ultimately to get to Mars.

　　Eventually, yes, between now and the 2030s, we would need to ramp³⁰ up the budget. At the current budgets, we would not get to Mars; that's correct.

　　MILES O'BRIEN: During Orion's first flight, NASA engineers aim to test the riskiest³¹ events, things that have to work right the first time when astronauts are on board. But the biggest risk to the overarching goal may have more to do with political science than rocket science.

　　Miles O'Brien, the "PBS NewsHour," Washington.

　　GWEN IFILL: Online, we have a slide show of Orion's journey to the launchpad. And you can watch the launch live tomorrow morning at 7:00 a.m. Eastern on our home page.

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 thermal   

adj.热的，由热造成的；保暖的

参考例句：

• They will build another thermal power station.他们要另外建一座热能发电站。
• Volcanic activity has created thermal springs and boiling mud pools.火山活动产生了温泉和沸腾的泥浆池。

3 blistering   

adj.酷热的；猛烈的；使起疱的；可恶的v.起水疱；起气泡；使受暴晒n.[涂料] 起泡

参考例句：

• The runners set off at a blistering pace. 赛跑运动员如脱缰野马般起跑了。
• This failure is known as preferential wetting and is responsible for blistering. 这种故障称为优先吸湿，是产生气泡的原因。 来自辞典例句

4 maiden   

n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的

参考例句：

• The prince fell in love with a fair young maiden.王子爱上了一位年轻美丽的少女。
• The aircraft makes its maiden flight tomorrow.这架飞机明天首航。

5 milestone   

n.里程碑；划时代的事件

参考例句：

• The film proved to be a milestone in the history of cinema.事实证明这部影片是电影史上的一个里程碑。
• I think this is a very important milestone in the relations between our two countries.我认为这是我们两国关系中一个十分重要的里程碑。

6 administrator   

n.经营管理者，行政官员

参考例句：

• The role of administrator absorbed much of Ben's energy.行政职务耗掉本很多精力。
• He has proved himself capable as administrator.他表现出管理才能。

7 slated   

用石板瓦盖( slate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Yuki is working up an in-home phonics program slated for Thursdays, and I'm drilling her on English conversation at dinnertime. Yuki每周四还有一次家庭语音课。我在晚餐时训练她的英语口语。
• Bromfield was slated to become U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. 布罗姆菲尔德被提名为美国农业部长。

8 permanently   

adv.永恒地，永久地，固定不变地

参考例句：

• The accident left him permanently scarred.那次事故给他留下了永久的伤疤。
• The ship is now permanently moored on the Thames in London.该船现在永久地停泊在伦敦泰晤士河边。

9 posture   

n.姿势，姿态，心态，态度；v.作出某种姿势

参考例句：

• The government adopted an uncompromising posture on the issue of independence.政府在独立这一问题上采取了毫不妥协的态度。
• He tore off his coat and assumed a fighting posture.他脱掉上衣，摆出一副打架的架势。

10 asteroid   

n.小行星；海盘车(动物)

参考例句：

• Astronomers have yet to witness an asteroid impact with another planet.天文学家还没有目击过小行星撞击其它行星。
• It's very unlikely that an asteroid will crash into Earth but the danger exists.小行星撞地球的可能性很小，但这样的危险还是存在的。

11 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

12 hurdles   

n.障碍( hurdle的名词复数 )；跳栏；（供人或马跳跃的）栏架；跨栏赛

参考例句：

• In starting a new company, many hurdles must be crossed. 刚开办一个公司时，必须克服许多障碍。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• There are several hurdles to be got over in this project. 在这项工程中有一些困难要克服。 来自辞典例句

13 complexity   

n.复杂(性)，复杂的事物

参考例句：

• Only now did he understand the full complexity of the problem.直到现在他才明白这一问题的全部复杂性。
• The complexity of the road map puzzled me.错综复杂的公路图把我搞糊涂了。

14 capabilities   

n.能力( capability的名词复数 )；可能；容量；[复数]潜在能力

参考例句：

• He was somewhat pompous and had a high opinion of his own capabilities. 他有点自大，自视甚高。 来自辞典例句
• Some programmers use tabs to break complex product capabilities into smaller chunks. 一些程序员认为，标签可以将复杂的功能分为每个窗格一组简单的功能。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

15 fabulous   

adj.极好的；极为巨大的；寓言中的，传说中的

参考例句：

• We had a fabulous time at the party.我们在晚会上玩得很痛快。
• This is a fabulous sum of money.这是一笔巨款。

16 accomplished   

adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的

参考例句：

• Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。
• Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。

17 augment   

vt.(使)增大，增加，增长，扩张

参考例句：

• They hit upon another idea to augment their income.他们又想出一个增加收入的办法。
• The government's first concern was to augment the army and auxiliary forces.政府首先关心的是增强军队和辅助的力量。

18 constellation   

n.星座n.灿烂的一群

参考例句：

• A constellation is a pattern of stars as seen from the earth. 一个星座只是从地球上看到的某些恒星的一种样子。
• The Big Dipper is not by itself a constellation. 北斗七星本身不是一个星座。

19 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

20 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。

21 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

22 cancellation   

n.删除，取消

参考例句：

• Heavy seas can cause cancellation of ferry services.海上风浪太大，可能须要取消渡轮服务。
• Her cancellation of her trip to Paris upset our plan.她取消了巴黎之行打乱了我们的计划。

23 ruffled   

adj. 有褶饰边的, 起皱的 动词ruffle的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• She ruffled his hair affectionately. 她情意绵绵地拨弄着他的头发。
• All this talk of a strike has clearly ruffled the management's feathers. 所有这些关于罢工的闲言碎语显然让管理层很不高兴。

24 constituents   

n.选民( constituent的名词复数 )；成分；构成部分；要素

参考例句：

• She has the full support of her constituents. 她得到本区选民的全力支持。
• Hydrogen and oxygen are the constituents of water. 氢和氧是水的主要成分。 来自《简明英汉词典》

25 proponents   

n.（某事业、理论等的）支持者，拥护者( proponent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Reviewing courts were among the most active proponents of hybrid rulemaking procedures. 复审法院是最积极的混合型规则制定程序的建议者。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法
• Proponents of such opinions were arrested as 'traitors. ' 提倡这种主张的人马上作为“卖国贼”逮捕起来。 来自辞典例句

26 hybrid   

n.(动，植）杂种，混合物

参考例句：

• That is a hybrid perpetual rose.那是一株杂交的四季开花的蔷薇。
• The hybrid was tall,handsome,and intelligent.那混血儿高大、英俊、又聪明。

27 elegance   

n.优雅；优美，雅致；精致，巧妙

参考例句：

• The furnishings in the room imparted an air of elegance.这个房间的家具带给这房间一种优雅的气氛。
• John has been known for his sartorial elegance.约翰因为衣着讲究而出名。

28 unifying   

使联合( unify的现在分词 )； 使相同； 使一致； 统一

参考例句：

• In addition, there were certain religious bonds of a unifying kind. 此外，他们还有某种具有一种统一性质的宗教上的结合。
• There is a unifying theme, and that is the theme of information flow within biological systems. 我们可以用一个总的命题，把生物学系统内的信息流来作为这一研究主题。

29 adviser   

n.劝告者，顾问

参考例句：

• They employed me as an adviser.他们聘请我当顾问。
• Our department has engaged a foreign teacher as phonetic adviser.我们系已经聘请了一位外籍老师作为语音顾问。

30 ramp   

n.暴怒，斜坡，坡道；vi.作恐吓姿势，暴怒，加速；vt.加速

参考例句：

• That driver drove the car up the ramp.那司机将车开上了斜坡。
• The factory don't have that capacity to ramp up.这家工厂没有能力加速生产。

31 riskiest   

冒险的，危险的( risky的最高级 )

参考例句：

• With markets lately rising, the riskiest investments are finding takers. 他说，在周期高峰时，投资者会追逐风险最高的资产。
• The riskiest subprime securitieshave almost no takers. 风险最高的次级证券几乎没有人持有。