VOA常速英语2015--宇航员们在夏威夷进行模拟火星训练

Simulated Astronauts Get Taste of Mars, in Hawaii 宇航员们在夏威夷进行模拟火星训练

LOS ANGELES—

For generations, people have dreamed of traveling to Mars to explore our closest planetary neighbor. While space agencies like NASA are planning manned missions to the planet, some volunteers in Hawaii are learning how humans will cope with months in isolation¹ on a Mars base.

Volunteers are living for eight months in terrain² that looks much like the surface of Mars. Six people are isolated³ high atop Mauna Loa, a volcanic⁴ mountain on the Big Island of Hawaii in a make-believe Mars base. The project, funded by NASA, is called HI-SEAS, which stands for Hawaii Space Exploration Analog⁵ and Simulation.

这些志愿者在看起来近似于火星表面的地形环境生活了8个月。6个人被孤立在莫纳罗亚山,这是位于夏威夷岛假想火星基地中的一座火山。由美国宇航局资助的这个项目名为HI-SEAS,即夏威夷太空探索模拟和仿真任务。

Kim Binsted of the University of Hawaii is principal investigator⁶. She walks across the red lava⁷ rock and says this stark⁸ setting, 2,500 meters above sea level, is as close to Mars as you will find on Earth.

夏威夷大学的金·贝恩斯特德是该项目的负责人。她表示这是地球上所能发现最接近火星的环境。

“Visually, it is very similar to what you see on Mars. You will see that there is really no visible plant life, there is no visible animal life," she said. "And you have got this wonderful volcanic material. We are on a cinder⁹ cone¹⁰ here on Mauna Loa. Mauna Loa is geologically very similar to Olympus Mons on Mars.”

Mauna Loa is the second largest mountain in the solar system, after the Martian peak, when measured from its base.

“视觉上,它非常类似于火星上所看到的景象。你会发现真的没有可见动植物。而且你会看到这个美妙的火山物质。我们正身处莫纳罗亚山的火山灰锥。

The six-member crew inside is mostly self-sufficient. Support crews bring food and supplies, but cannot interact with volunteers inside the habitat.

而内部的6名宇航员主要是自给自足。援助人员会运送食物和其他物资,但不能与栖息地志愿者有任何接触。

Binsted says this is an experiment that looks at the interaction of astronauts.

贝恩斯特德表示这是宇航员之间交互的实验。

“We study how well they work together, how we can keep them happy and supported, and not wanting to kill each other over these long durations,” she said.

“我们研究他们如何携手工作,我们如何让志愿者快乐及为他们提供支持,而不是在这么长时间内试图想害死对方。”

The current crew has been living in the habitat since October and will stay until June. Two earlier crews have gone before them.

当前这组队员自去年10月以来一直在栖息地生活，并且将呆到6月。早些时候两组人员已经在他们之前离去。

Participants communicate with the outside world through email and blogs and even YouTube videos.

参与者与外界沟通则是通过电子邮件，博客甚至YouTube视频。

This is not the only group of volunteers with sights set on Mars. An organization called Mars One, based in The Netherlands, has solicited¹¹ applications for would-be Mars astronauts from around the world.

这不是所处火星唯一的志愿者们。一个总部设在荷兰名为火星一号组织已经征求来自世界各地准火星宇航员的申请。

Others believe the American or European space agencies are more likely to reach the goal, in the 2030s, or later. Whoever gets there first, the journey will not be easy, says Kim Binsted.

金·贝恩斯特德表示观察家们认为美国或欧洲太空机构会在2030年代或以后更容易达成火星的目标。无论谁先抵达这个星球,这段旅程绝非易事。

“It is going to be challenging,” she said.

“这肯定是个挑战。”

In the meantime, volunteers are getting a taste of life on a future Mars base.

与此同时,这些志愿者们正在尝试过着未来火星基地的生活。

1 isolation   

n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离

参考例句：

• The millionaire lived in complete isolation from the outside world.这位富翁过着与世隔绝的生活。
• He retired and lived in relative isolation.他退休后，生活比较孤寂。

2 terrain   

n.地面，地形，地图

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• He knows the terrain of this locality like the back of his hand.他对这一带的地形了如指掌。

3 isolated   

adj.与世隔绝的

参考例句：

• His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
• Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。

4 volcanic   

adj.火山的；象火山的；由火山引起的

参考例句：

• There have been several volcanic eruptions this year.今年火山爆发了好几次。
• 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。

5 analog   

n.类似物，模拟

参考例句：

• The analog signal contains high-frequency video information,which helps make up the picture.模拟信号包括有助于构成图像的高频视频信息。
• The analog computer measures continuously,without proceeding step by step.模拟计算机不是一步一步地进行，而是连续地进行量度。

6 investigator   

n.研究者，调查者，审查者

参考例句：

• He was a special investigator for the FBI.他是联邦调查局的特别调查员。
• The investigator was able to deduce the crime and find the criminal.调查者能够推出犯罪过程并锁定罪犯。

7 lava   

n.熔岩，火山岩

参考例句：

• The lava flowed down the sides of the volcano.熔岩沿火山坡面涌流而下。
• His anger spilled out like lava.他的愤怒像火山爆发似的迸发出来。

8 stark   

adj.荒凉的；严酷的；完全的；adv.完全地

参考例句：

• The young man is faced with a stark choice.这位年轻人面临严峻的抉择。
• He gave a stark denial to the rumor.他对谣言加以完全的否认。

9 cinder   

n.余烬，矿渣

参考例句：

• The new technology for the preparation of superfine ferric oxide from pyrite cinder is studied.研究了用硫铁矿烧渣为原料，制取超细氧化铁红的新工艺。
• The cinder contains useful iron,down from producing sulphuric acid by contact process.接触法制硫酸的矿渣中含有铁矿。

10 cone   

n.圆锥体，圆锥形东西，球果

参考例句：

• Saw-dust piled up in a great cone.锯屑堆积如山。
• The police have sectioned off part of the road with traffic cone.警察用锥形路标把部分路面分隔开来。

11 solicited   

v.恳求( solicit的过去式和过去分词 )；（指娼妇）拉客；索求；征求

参考例句：

• He's already solicited their support on health care reform. 他已就医疗改革问题请求他们的支持。 来自辞典例句
• We solicited ideas from Princeton University graduates and under graduates. 我们从普林斯顿大学的毕业生与大学生中征求意见。 来自辞典例句