India has launched its first unmanned mission to the Moon. The mission is a major boost to the country's space program, as India joins Asian nations China and Japan in exploring the Moon.
印度发射了第一艘无人探月飞船，从而加入了中国和日本的行列，成为另一个对月球进行探测的亚洲国家。这次发射是印度太空计划的一次重要进展。
The unmanned Chandayaan-1 spacecraft blasted off from a launch pad in Sriharikota in southern India, shortly after dawn, Wednesday, as the nation watched on television.
星期三凌晨，无人驾驶的“月球飞船一号”从印度南部斯里赫里戈达岛的发射台上轰然起飞，印度全国通过电视转播观看了发射。
Scientists applauded and hugged each other. The head of the Indian Space Research Organization, G. Madhavan Nair, calls it a perfect launch and says everything is going according to plan.
科学家们鼓掌欢呼并互相拥抱。印度太空研究组织的领导人马达范·奈尔说这是一次成功的发射，并且说一切都按照计划进行。
"It's a historic moment, as far as India is concerned…..We have started our journey to the Moon and the first leg of the journey has gone perfectly well," said Nair. "It's a remarkable performance by the launch vehicle, every parameter was on the dot….Today what we have started is a remarkable journey for the Indian spacecraft to go to the Moon and try to unravel the mysteries of the Moon."
他说：“对印度来说，这是历史性的一刻。我们已经开始月球之旅，而旅程的第一步骤走得都很完美。发射器的表现十分出色，每一个参数都十分准确。我们今天开始的是印度探月太空飞船的精采旅程，并且尝试著揭开月球的神秘面纱。”
It was clearly a moment of celebration for scientists in charge of the mission.
对于主持这项任务的科学家们，这显然是欢庆的一刻。
"This is the beginning of a new era…..Words don't come, OK…..today it is a red-letter day…our baby is on the way to the moon," one scientist could be heard saying.
“这是新时代的开始。言语难以形容。今天是重要的一天。我们的宝贝飞船正在飞往月球的路上。”
The Chandrayaan-I, which means Moon Vehicle, is being sent on a two-year mission to orbit the Moon and scan its chemical and mineral composition. A key objective will be to look for water. The spacecraft carries 11 instruments. Five are Indian, three are from the European Space Agency and two from the United States. A gadget from the spacecraft will land on the Moon to pick up some dust for analysis.
月球飞船一号背负著两年的计划，将循环月球轨道，并且扫描其化学与矿物成分。探索水分将是重要的目标之一。这艘太空飞船运载著11台仪器。其中有5台来自印度，3台来自欧洲太空局，两台来自美国。太空飞船上的一台设备将登陆月球，收集一些尘土以供分析。
This is India's first space mission beyond the Earth's orbit. If successful, the $79 million project will be a major step forward for India's space program.
这是印度的第一次超越地球轨道的太空任务。如果成功的话，这项耗资7千9百万美元的飞行任务将使印度的太空计划向前迈进一步。
It is also being seen as an effort by India to catch up with Japan and China, which have already sent unmanned spacecraft to orbit the Moon. In particular, China has been forging ahead in space exploration, putting astronauts in space and carrying out its first spacewalk.
也被视为印度要追上日本与中国的一项努力。日本与中国已经送出无人驾驶飞船环绕月球轨道飞行。中国尤其已经在太空探测上取得领先，太空人跨出太空舱，并且实行了太空漫步。
India, too, has drawn up ambitious programs. It plans to send an astronaut into space by 2014 and a manned mission to the Moon by 2020.
印度也制定出雄心勃勃的计划。它计划在2014年之前让太空人跨出太空舱，并且在2020年之前实现月球登陆。
India started its first space program in 1963, developing its own satellites and launch vehicles, and has a foot-hold in the multibillion-dollar commercial space-launch business.
印度在1963年开始其太空计划，发展了自己的卫星以及发射太空飞船，并且跨足拥有几百亿美元商机的商业太空飞船发射生意。 |