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NASA unveiled a blast from the past with the introduction Tuesday of the newest generation of vehicle to carry humans into space. |
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The spacecraft is a capsule that on its face appears to be a throwback to the dawn of the space race and the Apollo missions that carried the first astronauts to the Moon four decades ago. |
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美國太空總署在週二發表了載人飛向外太空的最新一代載具,卻散發著濃濃的懷舊色彩。這艘太空船是個指揮艙,表面上看起來像是回到了太空競賽的初期以及四十年前首度將太空人送上月球的阿波羅任務。 |
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"We are committed to human exploration beyond low earth orbit and look forward to developing the next generation of systems to take us there," NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said. |
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「我們的心力都集中在低地球軌道以外的人類探索,並且期待研發出能夠載送我們前往外太空的下一代系統,」美國太空總署署長查爾斯‧博登表示。 |
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Aerospace company Lockheed Martin will build the new spacecraft known as the Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle, or MPCV. |
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The capsule will carry four astronauts and be based on designs originally planned for NASA's Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle. |
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The latter project was canceled by President Barack Obama. |
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航太公司洛克希德馬丁公司將製造這艘新式太空船,稱為「多功能人員載具」,簡稱 MPCV。這具指揮艙可承載四名太空人,並以美國太空總署原本打算研製的「獵戶座乘員探索飛行器」為設計基礎。後者的研發計畫已經被歐巴馬總統取消了。 |
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NASA does not expect to begin crewed flights until 2016. |
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Astronauts have not ventured beyond low earth orbit since the Apollo program in the 1970s. |
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美國太空總署預計將在二○一六年之後才會展開載人飛行。自從一九七○年代的阿波羅計畫以來,太空人就不曾飛到低地球軌道以外。 |
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"We hope to have test flights in this decade. |
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We're not sure when, but certainly as early as possible," said Douglas Cooke, NASA's associate administrator for the Office of Exploration Systems Mission Directorate. |
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「我們希望在這十年內進行試飛。時間還沒確定,但絕對會儘可能快,」美國太空總署太空系統任務理事會辦公室副主管道格拉斯‧庫克說。 |
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As with the Apollo spacecraft, the MPCV will also return to Earth by splashing down in the Pacific. |
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The new craft will be updated for the 21st-century, however. |
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According to NASA, it will be larger and considerably safer to launch and land than the space shuttle. |
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一如阿波羅太空船,MPCV 也將返回地球,墜落於太平洋上。不過,這部新載具將會採用二十一世紀的新科技。美國太空總署指出,這部載具將比太空梭更大,起飛與降落也都會安全得多。 |
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"We would have an abort system, all the way from sitting on the pad, to flying up, up and away. |
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The space shuttle has never had that capability," Cooke said. |
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「我們會有中斷飛行系統,不論是在發射台上,還是飛到高空及太空中。太空梭從來不曾有過這種功能,」庫克說。 |
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This new spacecraft is the next phase in NASA's evolution beyond the retirement of the space shuttle, the agency said. |
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在太空梭退役之後,這艘新式太空船是美國太空總署發展的新階段,該機構表示。 |
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NASA officials say the MPCV will be capable of missions to the Moon or even a deep-space mission to Mars. |
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On any deep-space mission, it would be accompanied by a larger compartment for the crew, Cooke said. |
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美國太空總署官員指出,MPCV 將可登陸月球執行任務,甚至執行探索火星的外太空任務。在外太空任務上,太空船裡將會為乘坐人員規劃較大的隔間,庫克說。 |