NASA與SpaceX：有什麼區別？：英語精讀講義

To boldly go where no man has gone before 文化背景

勇敢地航向前人未至之境

is no small feat given that since the development of space travel 慣用語

絕非易事，畢竟自從太空旅行發展以來，

only three countries have launched a human into space.

只有三個國家將人類送入過太空。

The first was Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin

第一個是俄羅斯太空人Yuri Gagarin，

who orbited the Earth in the Vostok 1 spacecraft

他乘坐Vostok 1號太空船繞地球飛行，

on April 12th, 1961.

時間是1961年4月12日。

Only weeks later the US launched their first human into space,

僅僅幾週後，美國將他們的第一個人類送入太空，

Alan Shepard aboard the Freedom 7.

即乘坐Freedom 7的Alan Shepard。

It wouldn't be until 2003 that China would launch its first man into 文法

直到2003年，中國才將第一名太空人送入

space when the Shenzhou 5 spacecraft successfully took astronaut Yang Liwei

太空，當時神舟五號太空船成功搭載太空人楊利偉

on a 21-hour mission to space and back.

完成了21小時的太空往返任務。

With revitalized space programs and private sector space aspirations,

隨著太空計畫的復興與私營部門對太空的渴望，

developments over the next two years might just make space great again. 文化背景

未來兩年的發展或許會讓太空探索再次偉大。

Today we'll compare a veteran space program

今天我們將對比一個老牌太空計畫

with a relatively new kid on the block in this episode of the Infographics Show, 慣用語

和一個相對的新手，在本期Infographics Show中，

NASA versus SpaceX.

NASA對決SpaceX。

Don't forget to subscribe

別忘了訂閱

and click the bell button

並點擊小鈴鐺按鈕

so that you can be part of our notification squad.

這樣你就能成為我們通知小隊的一員。

We'll start with a brief history of each program.

我們先簡要回顧一下各自的歷史。

NASA or the National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NASA（美國國家航空暨太空總署）

was created in 1958 when President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed

成立於1958年，當時Dwight D. Eisenhower總統簽署了

the National Aeronautics and Space Act.

《國家航空暨太空法》。

According to the act, NASA space exploration

根據該法案，NASA的太空探索

would forever be devoted to peaceful purposes 片語搭配

將永遠致力於和平目的

for the benefit of all mankind.

造福全人類。

It wasn't until July 20th, 1969 that NASA would iconize space travel

直到1969年7月20日，NASA才讓太空旅行成為標誌，

when it launched the Apollo 11 into space

當時它將Apollo 11送入太空，

and made the first successful moon landing. 片語搭配

並首次成功登陸月球。

SpaceX, created by multi-talented tech entrepreneur Elon Musk,

SpaceX由多才多藝的科技企業家Elon Musk創立，

was founded on May 6th, 2002.

成立於2002年5月6日。

Musk's mission is to eventually colonize Mars,

Musk的使命是最終殖民火星，

having stated on numerous occasions that human extinction 片語搭配

他曾多次表示人類滅絕

on planet Earth is inevitable.

在地球上是不可避免的。

SpaceX is, of course, a ways away from achieving this goal 用詞

當然，SpaceX距離實現這一目標還有一段路要走，

and while it hasn't yet launched flesh and blood into space, 慣用語

雖然它還沒有將血肉之軀送入太空，

it intends to do so in the second quarter of next year. 文法

但它打算在明年第二季度實現這一目標。

Musk has also said that by 2024 SpaceX

Musk還表示，到2024年SpaceX

will have completed a manned mission to Mars.

將完成火星載人任務。

Moreover, he has boldly proclaimed that in 50 years time

此外，他曾大膽宣稱，在50年內

his company's interplanetary transport system

他公司的星際運輸系統

will be delivering up to a million people to the Mars colony.

將把多達一百萬人送往火星殖民地。

Musk may seem overly ambitious compared to NASA

與NASA相比，Musk似乎野心過大，

whose website states that it won't be until the 2030s

其網站指出，直到2030年代

until it's sending people to the red planet.

才會將人類送往這顆紅色星球。

Does this mean NASA and SpaceX are competitors?

這是否意味著NASA和SpaceX是競爭對手？

In some ways, yes, as NASA is a government agency 用詞

在某些方面，是的，因為NASA是政府機構，

and SpaceX is a private entity.

而SpaceX是一家私營實體。

The media has referred to this competition as the first public-private space race. 片語搭配

媒體將這場競爭稱為首次公私太空競賽。

The phrase was dubbed, however, not because of Mars' ambitions,

然而，這個說法的出現並非因為火星野心，

but after SpaceX announced in 2017

而是因為SpaceX在2017年宣布，

it will be taking people around the moon in 2018.

將在2018年帶人環遊月球。

The main difference being that they would not only be trained astronauts, 文法

主要區別在於，他們不僅是受過訓練的太空人，

but extremely wealthy space tourists.

而且是極其富有的太空遊客。

NASA had before this announcement

在此聲明之前，NASA已經

made it known that it too would take tourists around the moon, 片語搭配

讓人知曉它也會帶遊客環遊月球，

but not until 2019.

但要到2019年。

The question we now must ask is who has the most funding 表達脈絡

我們現在必須問的問題是，誰擁有最多的資金，

and who owns the more advanced technology to make space tourism happen.

誰擁有更先進的技術來實現太空旅遊。

In terms of the balance sheet, 表達脈絡

在資產負債表方面，

SpaceX raised over $1 billion in funding

SpaceX籌集了超過10億美元的資金，

in 2015 with 11 investors taking part. 片語搭配

時間是2015年，有11名投資者參與。

Elon Musk himself is worth over $17 billion.

Elon Musk本人的身價就超過170億美元。

The tech maverick has his hand in many pots,

這位科技狂人涉足諸多領域，

including his venture into the self-driving car market

包括他進軍自動駕駛汽車市場的

with his Tesla Motors company.

Tesla Motors公司。

How does SpaceX actually make money

SpaceX實際上是如何賺錢的，

while piling it into developments

在將資金投入研發

and the millions it costs to launch?

以及耗資數百萬的發射中的同時？

The answer is sending commercial satellites into space

答案是將商業衛星送入太空，

with investor analysis media Motley Fool

投資分析媒體Motley Fool

claiming SpaceX charges around $60 million per launch.

稱SpaceX每次發射收費約6000萬美元。

SpaceX charges the government around $20 million

SpaceX向政府收取約2000萬美元，

every time it sends supplies to the International Space Station

每次它向國際太空站運送補給

or launches satellites for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

或為國家海洋暨大氣總署發射衛星。

As of June 2017, 片語搭配

截至2017年6月，

SpaceX had launched rockets into space 41 times

SpaceX已將火箭送入太空41次，

with this year looking to be a record for the number of space flights. 文法

預計今年的太空飛行次數將創下紀錄。

According to SpaceX president Gwynne Shotwell,

據SpaceX總裁Gwynne Shotwell稱，

the company will launch every 2 to 3 weeks in 2017.

該公司在2017年將每2到3週發射一次。

According to Motley Fool,

據Motley Fool報導，

the total revenue for SpaceX is around $1.3 billion

SpaceX的總收入約為13億美元，

with $195 million in annual profits.

年利潤為1.95億美元。

Over the years,

多年來，

NASA has suffered from underfunding, 片語搭配

NASA一直飽受資金不足之苦，

which is one of the reasons

這是原因之一，

why progress regarding the exploration of space

解釋了為什麼自登月以來關於太空探索的進展

has been ponderous since the moon landing.

一直十分緩慢。

In 2016,

在2016年，

President Barack Obama bolstered NASA's ambitions

Barack Obama總統支持了NASA的雄心，

with an increased budget of around half a billion dollars,

增加了約5億美元的預算，

bringing the total budget to around $19 billion. 文法

使總預算達到約190億美元。

This was good news for NASA,

這對NASA來說是個好消息，

spurring its administrator Charlie Bolden to announce publicly, 片語搭配

促使其局長Charlie Bolden公開宣布，

"NASA is firmly on a journey to Mars.

「NASA正堅定地走在前往火星的旅程中。

Make no mistake, 語氣意圖

毫無疑問，

this journey will help guide and define our generation."

這一旅程將幫助引導和定義我們這一代人。」

We should note here that while there may be a race to space between the private and the public and space SpaceX and NASA,

我們應該在這裡指出，雖然在私營與公共部門以及SpaceX和NASA之間可能存在太空競賽，

the former and other public companies

但前者以及其他上市公司

are working with NASA to make the Mars dream come true.

正與NASA合作，讓火星之夢成真。

NASA has had plenty of setbacks besides underfunding.

除了資金不足，NASA還遇到過許多挫折。

This includes the loss of two of its space shuttles in 1986 and 2003.

這包括在1986年和2003年損失了兩架太空梭。

14 astronauts were killed in total,

共有14名太空人遇難，

which didn't help NASA's ambitions.

這對NASA的雄心毫無幫助。

NASA has launched well over 100 crewed missions to space 用詞

NASA已經發射了100多次載人太空任務

and over 1,000 unmanned missions.

以及1000多次無人任務。

NASA's last manned space shuttle launch

NASA最後一次載人太空梭發射

was with its space transportation system in 2011.

是在2011年使用其太空運輸系統。

If you are wondering how astronauts or cosmonauts 表達脈絡

如果你想知道現在太空人

these days get to the International Space Station and back down to Earth,

是如何往返國際太空站和地球的，

they travel on the Soyuz Russian spacecraft.

他們乘坐的是俄羅斯的Soyuz太空船。

Currently, NASA is not sending humans into space,

目前，NASA並未將人類送入太空，

although running the space station

儘管營運太空站

and most space-related activities are a collaboration

以及大部分與太空相關的活動都是一種合作，

between NASA, Russia, and other countries.

由NASA、俄羅斯和其他國家共同參與。

NASA had originally said it would again be sending humans into space 文法

NASA最初曾表示將再次將人類送入太空，

in 2021 aboard the Orion spacecraft,

時間是2021年，乘坐Orion太空船，

but that date has reportedly been moved forward to 2019. 片語動詞

但據報導，該日期已提前至2019年。

Perhaps NASA's greatest recent success

也許NASA近期最大的成功

was the 2011 launch of its planetary rover

是2011年發射了其行星探測車

and the current work it does on Mars.

及其目前在火星上的工作。

Named the Curiosity,

這輛名為Curiosity的探測車，

the rover is five times larger than 文法

體積比

previous rovers that were sent to explore the red planet.

以前被派去探索紅色星球的探測車大五倍。

You might also be asking yourself,

你可能也會問自己，

what is the difference between an astronaut and a cosmonaut? 文化背景

astronaut（太空人）和cosmonaut（俄羅斯太空人）之間有什麼區別？

The answer is not much.

答案是沒太大區別。

Astronauts are trained and certified through NASA and other countries' space programs,

Astronaut由NASA和其他國家的太空計畫培訓和認證，

while cosmonauts are trained solely through Russia's space program.

而cosmonaut僅由俄羅斯的太空計畫培訓。

Let's now take a look at recent developments and an inventory of rocket stock. 表達脈絡

讓我們來看看最近的發展和火箭庫存盤點。

SpaceX's grandest creation so far is its Falcon Heavy large payload rocket,

SpaceX迄今為止最偉大的創造是其Falcon Heavy大有效載荷火箭，

which is scheduled to launch within the next month or two. 片語搭配

計畫在未來一兩個月內發射。

The rocket is designed to carry people

該火箭旨在載人，

and it's with this rocket that SpaceX sees the future. 文法

而SpaceX正是憑藉這款火箭看到了未來。

SpaceX also has a free-flying spacecraft called Dragon,

SpaceX還有一艘名為Dragon的自由飛行太空船，

which was the first commercial spacecraft ever launched by a private company. 文法

這是有史以來第一艘由私營公司發射的商業太空船。

It currently only carries cargo,

它目前只運載貨物，

but SpaceX believes it will be ready for human space travel

但SpaceX相信它將準備好進行載人太空旅行，

by as early as 2018. 片語搭配

最早可能在2018年。

The Dragon can be carried on the Falcon Heavy rocket

Dragon號可以搭載在Falcon Heavy火箭上，

or on SpaceX's other rocket, the Falcon 9.

或者搭載在SpaceX的另一款火箭Falcon 9上。

The history of NASA's space missions is a long and fascinating story

NASA太空任務的歷史是一個漫長而引人入勝的故事，

and it is the reason for much of our understanding of space.

這也是我們對太空大部分了解的來源。

For instance,

例如，

NASA's space probe Voyager reached the outer planets

NASA的太空探測器Voyager到達了外行星

of Jupiter and Saturn

木星和土星，

and 39 years later is still out there navigating interstellar space.

並在39年後仍然在星際空間中航行。

Voyager 2 was launched soon after

Voyager 2號不久後發射，

and was the first spacecraft

成為第一艘

to rub shoulders with Uranus and Neptune. 慣用語

接觸天王星和海王星的太空船。

NASA currently has a space probe Juno orbiting Jupiter,

NASA目前有一個繞木星運行的太空探測器Juno，

while another record was broken in 2015

而在2015年打破了另一項記錄，

when NASA's New Horizons space probe

當時NASA的New Horizons太空探測器

did a flyby of the Pluto system.

飛越了冥王星系統。

Traveling at over 36,000 miles per hour, 文法

它以超過每小時36000英里的速度飛行，

it made history when it came within 6,000 miles of Pluto. 片語搭配

在距離冥王星6000英里範圍內創造了歷史。

The journey was an astounding 3 billion miles.

這段旅程是驚人的30億英里。

NASA's current biggest development is the Orion launch,

NASA目前最大的發展項目是Orion發射，

which will take four astronauts beyond the moon, according to NASA.

據NASA稱，它將把四名太空人送到月球以外。

Other main developments are related to research aboard the International Space Station,

其他主要發展涉及國際太空站上的研究，

global aviation, and emerging technologies such as robotics.

全球航空，以及諸如機器人等新興技術。

NASA has achieved truly incredible things,

NASA取得了真正令人難以置信的成就，

but will the organization have to move over 片語動詞

但是該組織是否必須為

for Elon Musk's amazing spacecraft technologies?

Elon Musk令人驚嘆的太空船技術讓路？

In 2017,

在2017年，

rumors surfaced that Donald Trump's administration wants to return to the moon, 片語搭配

有傳言稱Donald Trump政府希望重返月球，

but will it be with a NASA or SpaceX vehicle?

但這會是使用NASA還是SpaceX的飛行器？

Some critics believe America is big enough for two space programs, public and private,

一些評論家認為，美國大到足以容納公共和私營兩個太空計畫，

and there's enough room on the moon for two future landings.

並且月球上有足夠的空間容納兩次未來的登陸。

Others have suggested NASA should keep its focus on exploring deep space, 片語搭配

其他人則建議NASA應繼續專注於探索深空，

while manned space travel and the possibility of a human colony on Mars

而載人太空旅行和在火星建立人類殖民地的可能性

should be handled by other agencies. 文法

應由其他機構處理。

How do you think these two programs should move into the future?

你認為這兩個計畫應該如何走向未來？

Should NASA and SpaceX share the same space 表達脈絡

NASA和SpaceX應該共享同一片太空嗎，

or should each know its own place?

還是應該各自找準自己的定位？

Let us know in the comments.

請在留言區告訴我們。

And if you liked this video,

如果你喜歡這支影片，

be sure to check out Earth versus Mars.

請務必去看看「地球對決火星」。

Thanks for watching

感謝觀看，

and as always,

一如既往，

don't forget to like, share, and subscribe.

別忘了按讚、分享和訂閱。

See you next time.

我們下次見。