2024年太空探索又一重大年份
📖 逐句对照翻译
As we enter the new year, we take a look back at some of the biggest space stories of 2024.
在我们迈入新的一年之际，让我们回顾一下2024年一些重大的太空新闻。
Historic private moon landing
历史性的私人月球着陆
Nearly one year ago, a private spacecraft completed the first U.S. moon landing in more than 50 years.
大约一年前，一艘私人航天器完成了美国50多年来首次登月。
The American space agency NASA announced the space lander, called Odysseus, had touched down on the lunar surface February 22.
美国航天局NASA宣布，名为“奥德修斯”的太空着陆器已于2月22日登陆月球表面。
Odysseus was developed by the Texas-based company Intuitive Machines.
奥德修斯号由总部位于得克萨斯州的公司直觉机器研发。
The spacecraft carried out several science experiments before powering down permanently on the moon in late March.
该航天器在3月下旬于月球上永久断电之前，进行了多项科学实验。
NASA said Odysseus had successfully captured data to help the agency “better understand the moon’s environment and improve landing precision and safety.”
美国国家航空航天局表示，奥德修斯号已成功捕获数据，有助于该机构“更深入地了解月球环境，并提高着陆精度和安全性”。
Japanese moon landing
日本登月
Japan’s space agency JAXA announced in January 2024 that its SLIM spacecraft had successfully landed on the moon.
日本宇宙航空研究开发机构（JAXA）于2024年1月宣布，其SLIM探测器已成功登陆月球。
But the lander touched down the wrong way up, causing some communication and power problems.
但着陆器着陆时上下颠倒，导致了一些通信和电力问题。
Japanese space officials reported that they stayed in communication with SLIM through late April.
日本太空官员报告称，他们与SLIM保持通信直至4月下旬。
They said the spacecraft was able to collect valuable data about the touchdown and surrounding area.
他们说，该航天器能够收集有关着陆及周边地区的宝贵数据。
One purpose of the mission was to demonstrate new precision landing technology.
这次任务的目的之一是展示新的精确着陆技术。
JAXA said the experiment was successful because SLIM was able to land within 10 meters of its planned target.
JAXA表示，实验之所以成功，是因为SLIM能够在距离预定目标10米范围内着陆。
Chinese moon landing and return
中国登月并返回
In May, China launched its Chang’e 6 spacecraft to the moon’s far side.
5月，中国向月球背面发射了嫦娥六号航天器。
In late June, Chinese space officials announced the spacecraft had returned to Earth with rock and soil samples collected on the lunar surface.
6月下旬，中国航天官员宣布，该航天器已携带从月球表面采集的岩石和土壤样本返回地球。
The successful return made China the first country to ever collect and bring back lunar samples from the far side of the moon.
这次成功返回使中国成为首个从月球背面采集并带回样本的国家。
The area is known as the far side because it always faces away from Earth.
该区域被称为远侧，因为它总是背对着地球。
Europe’s asteroid exploration mission
欧洲的小行星探测任务
In October, the European Space Agency (ESA) said it had successfully launched a spacecraft, called Hera, to explore an asteroid struck in an earlier NASA test mission.
10月，欧洲空间局（ESA）表示已成功发射了一艘名为“赫拉”的航天器，用于探索此前美国国家航空航天局（NASA）测试任务中撞击的一颗小行星。
Hera’s trip to the asteroid is expected to take about two years.
赫拉号前往该小行星的旅程预计需要大约两年时间。
Hera is headed to the asteroid Dimorphos.
赫拉号正前往小行星迪莫弗斯。
NASA crashed its DART spacecraft into the space rock in 2022, about 11 million kilometers from Earth.
2022年，美国宇航局的DART航天器在距离地球约1100万公里处撞上了一块太空岩石。
NASA said its mission successfully showed it was possible to change the orbit of asteroids that might threaten Earth in the future.
美国国家航空航天局表示，其任务成功表明，改变未来可能威胁地球的小行星轨道是可能的。
Hera aims to closely examine Dimorphos to get more details on how the strike by DART affected the asteroid.
赫拉号旨在近距离观测双卫一，以获取更多关于DART撞击对该小行星影响的细节。
The data that NASA collected is to be used together with information gathered by ESA to develop future planetary defense plans.
NASA收集的数据将与ESA收集的信息一起用于制定未来的行星防御计划。
Europa Clipper to explore Jupiter’s moon
欧罗巴快帆号将探索木星的卫星
NASA announced the successful launch of its Europa Clipper spacecraft in October.
美国国家航空航天局宣布其“欧罗巴快船”号航天器于10月成功发射。
The explorer is designed to search for possible signs of life on Jupiter’s moon Europa.
该探测器旨在搜寻木星卫星欧罗巴上可能存在的生命迹象。
Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system and has numerous moons.
木星是太阳系中最大的行星，拥有众多卫星。
But icy Europa has been identified by scientists as a good candidate for having the right conditions to support life.
但科学家们认为，冰冷的木卫二具备支持生命存在的适宜条件，是一个理想的候选天体。
Several studies have suggested the moon likely contains a large ocean beneath its icy surface.
多项研究表明，月球冰层之下可能蕴藏着一片广阔的海洋。
NASA said the Europa Clipper would fly past Mars, then back toward Earth, “using the gravity of each planet to increase its momentum.”
美国国家航空航天局表示，“欧罗巴快帆”将飞越火星，然后返回地球附近，“利用每颗行星的引力来增加其动量”。
These kinds of “gravity assists” are expected to provide the needed push to get the spacecraft to Jupiter by 2030.
这类“引力助推”预计将提供所需的推力，使航天器能在2030年前抵达木星。
Boeing’s crew flight to the ISS
波音公司飞往国际空间站的载人飞行
In early June, Boeing successfully carried out a test mission for NASA by transporting two American astronauts – Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams – to the International Space Station (ISS).
六月初，波音公司成功为美国宇航局执行了一项测试任务，将两名美国宇航员——布奇·威尔莫尔和苏尼·威廉姆斯——送往国际空间站。
The two were expected to stay in space for only a week.
两人原计划只在太空停留一周。
But ongoing technical issues with the Starliner spacecraft prevented a return trip.
但“星际客机”飞船持续存在的技术问题导致其无法返航。
NASA announced plans in August to have Starliner return to Earth without the astronauts.
美国宇航局8月宣布计划让“星际客机”在不搭载宇航员的情况下返回地球。
The current plan is for Wilmore and Williams to return on a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft sometime in late March or April.
目前的计划是让威尔莫尔和威廉姆斯在3月底或4月的某个时候乘坐SpaceX的龙飞船返回。
SpaceX landing demonstration
SpaceX着陆演示
SpaceX has now completed six launch tests of its huge Starship rocket system.
SpaceX现已完成其巨型星舰火箭系统的六次发射测试。
Four of those tests were carried out in 2024.
其中四项测试是在2024年进行的。
The last test took place in November.
最后一次测试是在11月进行的。
The Starship rocket and spacecraft system is designed to be a completely reusable vehicle to transport astronauts and supplies.
星舰火箭和航天器系统被设计为一种完全可重复使用的运载工具，用于运送宇航员和物资。
It has successfully demonstrated that ability in its most recent experimental flights.
它已在最近的实验飞行中成功展示了这一能力。
During one of the tests in October, Starship’s Super Heavy booster rocket was "caught“ and secured by a huge structure that includes metal arms.
在10月份的一次测试中，星舰的超级重型助推火箭被一个包含金属臂的巨大结构“捕获”并固定。
A short time later, Starship’s second stage safely splashed down in the Indian Ocean.
不久之后，星舰的第二级安全溅落在印度洋上。
I’m Bryan Lynn.
我是布莱恩·林恩。
Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English.
布莱恩·林恩为VOA英语学习频道撰写了这篇故事。
