SpaceX如何改变太空产业：英语精读讲义

5,

5，

4,

4，

3,

3，

2,

2，

1.

1。

The position.

就位。

On February 6th,

2月6日，

SpaceX launched their new Falcon Heavy rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

SpaceX从NASA的肯尼迪航天中心发射了他们的新型猎鹰重型火箭。

In a spectacular and very media effective stunt,

在一场极为壮观且极具媒体效应的噱头中，

they sent a midnight cherry red Tesla Roadster as test payload 用詞

他们将一辆午夜樱桃红色的特斯拉Roadster跑车作为测试有效载荷，

on its way into deep space. 短語搭配

送往深空。

The rocket has the ability to put more than 140,000 lb of cargo into lower Earth orbit,

该火箭能够将超过14万磅的货物送入近地轨道，

much more than anyone has commercially requested them to do.

远远超出了任何商业请求的载荷量。

That makes it by far 語法

这使得它成为目前为止

the most powerful operational rocket in the world.

世界上最强大的现役火箭。

And SpaceX is already developing an even more powerful one.

而SpaceX已经在开发一款更强大的火箭。

The BFR,

BFR，

which will be more than 106 m high

它的高度将超过106米，

and carry up to 550,000 lb

能将多达55万磅的载荷

into lower Earth orbit.

送入近地轨道。

So, why are they doing all this? 表達脈絡

那么，他们为什么要这么做呢？

The space exploration goals of the United States are set by the US government,

美国的太空探索目标是由美国政府设定的，

and they have been changing drastically with every new president.

且每逢新总统上任，这些目标都会发生剧变。

Under President Bill Clinton,

在比尔·克林顿总统任内，

exploration of space was not a main priority,

太空探索并不是首要任务，

at least if you go by the budget of NASA, 短語動詞

至少从NASA的预算来看是如此，

which decreased during his presidency.

其预算在他任期内有所减少。

However, a lot of progress was made 短語搭配

然而，当时还是取得了很大进展，

and the construction of the International Space Station began.

国际空间站的建设也开始了。

Under his leadership,

在他的领导下，

the cooperation between the United States and Russia in space

美国和俄罗斯在太空领域的合作

was enormously strengthened.

得到了极大的加强。

Clinton saw his space policy as a political signal 語法

克林顿将他的太空政策视为一个政治信号，

to manifest the beginning of a time of cooperation

以彰显合作时代的开始

and the end of the Cold War. 文化背景

以及冷战的结束。

Early on in President Bush's presidency, 短語搭配

在布什总统任期之初，

NASA took a huge hit 習語

NASA遭受了巨大的打击，

when the Space Shuttle Columbia broke apart 短語動詞

哥伦比亚号航天飞机

during re-entry into the atmosphere. 用詞

在重返大气层时解体。

As a response to the tragedy,

为了应对这场悲剧，

as well as to regain public excitement over space, 語法

也为了重新唤起公众对太空的热情，

Bush ordered NASA to focus on putting humans back to the Moon.

布什下令NASA将重点放在让人类重返月球上。

Our third goal

我们的第三个目标

is to return to the Moon by 2020

是在2020年重返月球，

as the launching point for missions beyond. 習語

以此作为更远任务的发射点。

They started the Constellation program

他们启动了星座计划，

and the development of two new rockets specifically designed 短語搭配

并开发了专门设计用于

for the purpose of sending humans back to the Moon by the year 2020.

在2020年将人类送回月球的两款新火箭。

It also meant that for a short period of time,

这也意味着在很短的一段时间内，

once the Space Shuttle program is retired,

一旦航天飞机计划退役，

and all focus is on the Ares rockets,

所有的重点都将转移到战神火箭上，

America would be dependent on the Russians 短語搭配

美国将不得不依赖俄罗斯人

to get their astronauts to the International Space Station.

将他们的宇航员送上国际空间站。

Relations between the two countries were good at the time,

当时两国关系良好，

and NASA expected this period to last about 4 years. 語法

NASA预计这一时期将持续约4年。

But development on the Constellation program took longer than expected, 語法

但星座计划的开发时间比预期的要长，

and ever since 2011,

而且自2011年以来，

experts came to the conclusion that the Moon project 短語搭配

专家们得出结论，月球项目

was lacking innovation and will need funding

缺乏创新，且需要的资金

much higher than originally expected.

远远高于最初的预期。

President Barack Obama then shifted NASA's focus 短語搭配

随后，巴拉克·奥巴马总统将NASA的重点

from the moon to the manned exploration of Mars.

从月球转移到了载人火星探索上。

I just have to say 語氣意圖

我必须要说，

pretty bluntly here,

非常直白地说，

we've been there before. 語氣意圖

我们以前已经去过那里了。

Buzz has been there.

巴兹已经去过了。

There's a lot more of space to explore.

还有更多的太空领域需要探索。

The problem was that with the end of the Space Shuttle missions,

问题是，随着航天飞机任务的结束，

as well as Constellation,

以及星座计划的终止，

NASA had no way to get its astronauts into space on its own. 講解

NASA无法独自将其宇航员送入太空。

Five private companies were asked for proposals on spacecrafts.

于是，他们向五家私营公司征求了航天器提案。

And in order to reach the space station,

为了到达空间站，

we will work with a growing array of private companies 短語搭配

我们将与越来越多相互竞争的私营公司合作，

competing to make 語法

以使

getting to space easier and more affordable.

进入太空变得更加容易且更具性价比。

Two companies, Boeing and SpaceX,

后来，波音和SpaceX两家公司

were then commissioned to develop one 用詞

受委托开发一款

that could carry astronauts to the International Space Station.

能够将宇航员送往国际空间站的飞船。

We might see those ships do their first missions

我们可能会在明年左右

in the next year or so. 用詞

看到这些飞船执行它们的首次任务。

But it has cost NASA a lot to rely on the Russians 語法

但是，长期依赖俄罗斯人

for such a long period of time.

让NASA付出了高昂的代价。

With NASA's new job being to focus on Mars,

随着NASA的新任务将重点放在火星上，

they consequently started developing a rocket

他们随之开始开发一款

that could be used for those missions,

可用于这些任务的火箭，

the SLS, Space Launch System.

即SLS，空间发射系统。

When finished, it will be the most powerful rocket in the world,

完成后，它将成为世界上最强大的火箭，

exceeding the capabilities of the Heavy Falcon by SpaceX. 短語搭配

超越SpaceX重型猎鹰的运载能力。

And it has strong support from key members of Congress

并且它得到了国会关键议员的大力支持，

because it brings a lot of jobs.

因为它能带来大量的就业机会。

However, Unlike the Heavy Falcon,

然而，与重型猎鹰不同的是，

the SLS will still take a long time until it's ready.

SLS距离准备就绪还有很长的时间。

With its first unmanned test flight currently scheduled for December 2019.

其首次无人试飞目前计划在2019年12月进行。

But with a new president sworn into office, 短語搭配

但随着新总统宣誓就职，

NASA is currently again in a period of changing plans.

NASA目前又进入了一个计划变更期。

The directive I'm signing today will refocus America's space program 短語搭配

我今天签署的指令，将使美国的太空计划重新聚焦于

on human exploration and discovery.

人类的探索与发现。

It marks an important step in returning American astronauts to the Moon 短語搭配

这标志着让美国宇航员自1972年以来

for the first time since 1972

首次重返月球，

for long-term exploration and use.

进行长期探索和利用的重要一步。

This time, we will not only plant our flag and leave our footprint, 習語

这一次，我们不仅要插上旗帜并留下脚印，

we will establish a foundation for an eventual mission to Mars 習語

我们还要为最终的火星任务奠定基础，

and perhaps someday to many worlds beyond.

甚至有一天可能会前往更遥远的世界。

The proposed NASA budget revealed on February 12th, 2018,

2018年2月12日公布的NASA拟议预算，

shows that the Trump administration is already trying

表明特朗普政府已经在尝试

to free up money to support these costly plans. 短語動詞

腾出资金来支持这些昂贵的计划。

For example, by closing the NASA Education Office, 語法

例如，通过关闭NASA教育办公室，

cutting off funding for the International Space Station by 2025, 短語動詞

在2025年切断对国际空间站的资金支持，

as well as canceling the WFIRST telescope.

以及取消WFIRST望远镜项目。

Even though there are good reasons for NASA's reorientation 語法

尽管NASA在新一任美国总统上任时的调整

by each incoming US president,

有其充分的理由，

it becomes extremely difficult for NASA to meet the ever-changing demands. 短語搭配

但这让NASA极难满足不断变化的需求。

And so in the process of constantly changing goals, 短語搭配

因此，在目标不断更改的过程中，

a lot of taxpayers' money is lost on projects

大量纳税人的钱浪费在了

that never see the light of day. 習語

永远无法见天日的项目上。

And this is where Elon Musk comes into play. 表達脈絡

而这正是埃隆·马斯克出场的时候。

The stated goal of SpaceX is to reach Mars

SpaceX的明确目标是到达火星，

and even colonize the planet.

甚至殖民这颗星球。

In order to get the technology right 短語搭配

为了完善技术

and have the revenue to support these plans,

并获得支持这些计划的收入，

SpaceX is drastically reducing the cost of rocket launches.

SpaceX正在大幅降低火箭发射的成本。

Most significantly, by propulsively landing their rockets 語法

最显著的方式是，通过推进降落他们的火箭，

and then reusing them on future missions.

然后在未来的任务中重复使用它们。

Their Falcon 9 rocket starts at $62 million,

他们的猎鹰9号火箭发射起价为6200万美元，

which is a fraction compared to the Atlas V by ULA,

与联合发射联盟（ULA）起价1.09亿美元的宇宙神5型火箭相比，

that starts at $109 million.

只是其一小部分。

But the real revolution might be the BFR system 表達脈絡

但真正的革命可能是他们目前正在研发的

that they are currently working on.

BFR系统。

Consisting of a booster, a spacecraft, and a tanker, 語法

该概念由助推器、航天器和加油船组成，

the concept is designed to be completely reusable.

旨在实现完全可重复使用。

So, the booster transports the ship into orbit,

所以，助推器将飞船送入轨道，

then returns to the launch pad.

然后返回发射台。

With the help of a tanker,

在加油船的帮助下，

the spaceship can then be refueled several times in orbit,

飞船可以在轨道上进行多次补给燃料，

which will give it enough propellant 語法

这将为它提供足够的推进剂

to go on a journey to Mars.

踏上前往火星的旅程。

Development of this is costing billions of dollars,

研发这个系统需要花费数十亿美元，

and so it may seem like a risky approach, 語氣意圖

因此这似乎是一种高风险的做法，

not knowing if anyone will pay for a trip to Mars.

因为不知道是否有人会为火星之旅买单。

But the concept is also designed to replace all previous tasks,

但这个概念也旨在取代以往的所有任务，

from orbital launch of satellites,

从卫星的轨道发射，

Earth-Moon transport, Mars missions,

到地月运输、火星任务，

or even the proposed usage for fast transport between continents on Earth,

甚至提议用于地球各大洲之间的快速运输，

having one single system for these many possible applications 語法

拥有一个能应对这些众多潜在应用的单一系统，

allows for greater mass production, which in turn reduces costs. 表達脈絡

可以实现更大规模的量产，进而降低成本。

Perhaps more importantly, though, 表達脈絡

不过也许更重要的是，

the system would provide the flexibility to be assigned to NASA missions,

该系统将提供极大的灵活性，以被指派参与NASA的任务，

no matter what the focus of the US administration might be. 語法

无论美国政府的重点如何变化。

And if SpaceX does achieve to bring costs down, 短語動詞

如果SpaceX确实成功降低了成本，

it will be hard to justify using the more expensive SLS. 語法

那就很难找到理由去使用更昂贵的SLS了。

By this point, all of this is very hypothetical 表達脈絡

到目前为止，这一切都还非常假设性，

because it is easy to create a great-looking concept,

因为创建一个看起来很棒的概念很容易，

yet a lot of the technology is not figured out yet, 講解

但许多技术问题尚未解决，

and we will have to see whether words turn into action. 講解

我们需要拭目以待，看看这些言辞是否能化为行动。