VOA科学技术2024 美国私营航天器登月成功

Private Spacecraft Makes First US Moon Landing in More than 50 Years

美国私营航天器登月成功

　　A private spacecraft has successfully touched down on the moon, marking the first U.S. lunar landing in more than 50 years.

　　一艘私人航天器成功着陆月球，这标志着美国50多年来首次登月。

　　The American space agency NASA confirmed the Odysseus moon lander, built by Texas company Intuitive Machines, had landed on the moon's surface Thursday.

　　美国宇航局证实，由德克萨斯州直觉机器公司建造的奥德修斯月球着陆器已于周四降落在月球表面。

　　Flight controllers said earlier that difficulties with the lander's navigation equipment had forced them to activate¹ an experimental landing system at the last minute. Officials from Intuitive Machines also reported communication problems but said a signal was received from the lander after a delay.

　　飞行控制人员早些时候表示，着陆器导航设备出现的难题迫使他们在最后一刻启动了一个实验着陆系统。直觉机器公司的官员还报告了通信问题，但表示在延迟后收到了来自着陆器的信号。

　　"What we can confirm, without a doubt, is our equipment is on the surface of the moon," said Intuitive Machines project director Tim Crain. He was speaking to flight controllers at the company's operations center in Houston, Texas.

　　直觉机器项目总监蒂姆·克雷恩表示：“我们可以确认的是，毫无疑问，我们的设备在月球表面。”他在该公司位于得克萨斯州休斯顿的运营中心与飞行管制员交谈。

　　The company's chief, Steve Altemus, added, "I know this was a nail-biter, but we are on the surface, and we are transmitting. Welcome to the moon." In a message published Thursday night on X, Intuitive Machines said flight controllers had "confirmed Odysseus is upright and starting to send data."

　　该公司首席执行官斯蒂芬·阿尔特莫斯补充道，“我知道这是一个棘手的问题，但我们（的航天器）在月球表面，我们正在传输数据。欢迎来到月球。”周四晚上直觉机器公司在X上发布的一条消息中表示，飞行控制人员已“确认奥德修斯是直立的，并开始发送数据。”

　　The spacecraft targeted a landing spot about 300 kilometers from the moon's south pole. The area is mostly flat, but also includes large rocks, hills and craters². Officials from Intuitive Machines were not immediately able to provide details about whether Odysseus had reached its target landing area.

　　该航天器瞄准了距离月球南极约300公里的着陆点。该地区大部分平坦，但也包括大型岩石、山丘和火山口。直觉机器公司的官员无法立即提供奥德修斯是否到达目标着陆区的详细信息。

　　Another U.S. company, Astrobotic Technology, attempted a lunar landing last month. But that privately³ built lander, called Peregrine, developed a fuel leak shortly after launch and did not make it to the moon.

　　另一家美国公司航天机器人技术公司上个月试图登月。但这艘名为“游隼”的私营建造的着陆器在发射后不久就出现了燃料泄漏，未能成功登月。

　　Officials from Astrobotic were quick to send congratulations to the Odysseus mission team. "An incredible achievement. We can't wait to join you on the lunar surface in the near future," the company wrote on X.

　　航天机器人技术公司的官员很快向奥德修斯任务团队表示祝贺。该公司在X上写道：“这是一项令人难以置信的成就。我们迫不及待地想在不久的将来和你们一起登上月球表面。”

　　NASA Administrator⁴ Bill Nelson also reacted on Twitter, writing that Intuitive Machines had "aced⁵ the landing of a lifetime."

　　美国国家航空航天局局长比尔·纳尔逊也在推特上做出了回应，他写道，直觉机器“取得了终生难遇的成功”。

　　The last time the United States landed on the moon was in 1972, with NASA's Apollo 17 mission. So far, five nations have successfully landed spacecraft on the moon: the United States, China, the Soviet⁶ Union, Japan and India. Japan's landing came just last month.

　　美国上一次登月是在1972年，当时是美国宇航局的阿波罗17号任务。到目前为止，已有五个国家成功地将航天器降落在月球上：美国、中国、苏联、日本和印度。日本上个月刚刚着陆成功。

　　In addition to being the first U.S. lunar landing since 1972, the Odysseus mission marked the first time a privately built spacecraft has touched down on the moon.

　　奥德修斯号任务是自1972年以来美国首次登月，也是私营建造的航天器首次登月。

　　Odysseus is carrying scientific instruments and technology demonstrations⁷ for NASA and several private organizations. Experiments are to include observations of space weather activity and radio waves. The spacecraft is designed to operate for seven days on solar energy before the sun sets over the landing area.

　　奥德修斯号搭载了美国宇航局和几家私营组织的科学仪器和技术演示。实验将包括对空间天气活动和无线电波的观测。该航天器的设计目的是在着陆区太阳落山之前，利用太阳能运行七天。

　　NASA has said data from the lunar lander's mission will be used to help prepare for the agency's future Artemis space program. That program aims to return astronauts to the moon. NASA recently announced that its planned mission to land humans on the moon, called Artemis III, was set for September 2026.

　　美国宇航局表示，这次月球着陆器任务的数据将用于为该机构未来的阿尔忒弥斯太空计划做准备。该计划旨在让宇航员重返月球。美国宇航局最近宣布，其计划于2026年9月执行其人类登月的“阿耳忒弥斯3号任务”。

1 activate   

vt.使活动起来，使开始起作用

参考例句：

• We must activate the youth to study.我们要激励青年去学习。
• These push buttons can activate the elevator.这些按钮能启动电梯。

2 craters   

n.火山口( crater的名词复数 )；弹坑等

参考例句：

• Small meteorites have left impact craters all over the planet's surface. 这个行星的表面布满了小块陨石留下的撞击坑。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The battlefield was full of craters made by exploding shells. 战场上布满弹坑。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

3 privately   

adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地

参考例句：

• Some ministers admit privately that unemployment could continue to rise.一些部长私下承认失业率可能继续升高。
• The man privately admits that his motive is profits.那人私下承认他的动机是为了牟利。

4 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。

5 aced   

vt.发球得分（ace的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• I don't know how I aced in, I was lucky enough. 我不知道这好事怎么让我给碰上了，我够幸运的。 来自互联网
• He aced every physical fitness test they gave him. 他顺利通过了他们对他所作的每项体格检查。 来自互联网

6 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。

7 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。