dark comedy sort of joke has always been that Mars sample return is 10 to 15 years away,

暗黑喜劇那種笑話一直都是火星樣本回歸是10到15年後的事。

no matter what year it is. So here we are, we actually have a mission, it's built, it's

不管是哪一年。所以我們在這裡，我們其實有一個任務，它的建設，它的。

sitting at the Cape, it's getting ready to be launched. That will be the first stage

坐在海角，它正準備發射。這將是第一階段

in returning samples from Mars. It's just huge. It's an Apollo 11 type mission, because

在從火星返回樣本。這是一個巨大的任務這是一個阿波羅11號的任務，因為：

of the unique properties of Mars, because of the whole question of, "Has life ever existed

火星的獨特屬性，因為整個問題，"生命是否存在過"。

anywhere else?" All of those things are all wrapped up into this particular mission.

其他地方？"所有這些東西都被包進了這個特殊的任務中。

The question of whether any environments on Mars were habitable or are habitable today is really

火星上的任何環境是否適合居住，或者今天是否適合居住，這個問題真的是

what drives things. There's this remarkable global climatic change that occurred right

是什麼在驅動著事物。有這樣一個顯著的全球氣候變化，發生在右

around three and a half to four billion years ago on Mars that took it from a planet that

大約35億年到40億年前，在火星上，它從一個行星上取走了

probably was habitable  to something that's desolate and dry and irradiated at the surface

可能是適合居住的東西 荒涼，乾燥和輻照在表面的東西。

with a thin atmosphere now. The really interesting thing is to do this comparative planetary

現在大氣層稀薄真正有趣的事情是做這種比較行星的事情

geology to say, well, why did the Earth evolve the way it did with abundant life? And why

地質學說，好吧，為什麼地球的進化方式 它做了豐富的生命？And why

did Mars evolve the way it did in its own unique way? To find answers to these questions,

火星是否以自己獨特的方式進化？為了找到這些問題的答案。

scientists use orbiters, landers, rovers, and recovered Martian rocks that can survive

科學家們利用軌道器、著陸器、巡視器和回收的火星岩石，可以在火星上生存

the trip down to Earth. I'm sitting in the University of Alberta, Meteorite Curation

墜落到地球的旅程。我正坐在阿爾伯塔大學的隕石收藏室裡

Facility. It's a lab that I built and designed, where we have a clean room, which you can

設施。這是我建造和設計的實驗室，我們有一個乾淨的房間，你可以在這裡

see over my shoulder here. It's the sort of glassed in area and the rock cabinets in there

在我的肩膀上看到這裡。這是一種玻璃的區域 和岩石櫃在那裡。

have about 1800 specimens of different meteorites from around the world. The Martian meteorites

有大約1800塊來自世界各地的不同隕石標本。火星隕石

are a unique set of rocks that have been blasted off the surface of Mars, naturally. There's

是一組獨特的岩石，自然而然地從火星表面被炸開。這就是

140 or more meteorites and over 80% of them are basically lava flows that float out on

140塊以上的隕石，80%以上的隕石基本上都是熔岩流，漂浮在

the surface of Mars in the last few hundred million years. Now Mars is four and a half

在過去的幾億年裡，火星的表面。現在火星已經有四個半

billion years old. So there's a whole history there that's missing because of a bias in

億萬年的歷史。所以，那裡有一個完整的歷史，缺失，因為一個偏見在那裡

the way that these samples are delivered to us. And that's what makes this upcoming launch

的方式，將這些樣品傳遞給我們。而這也是這次即將到來的發佈會的原因

an ambitious new chapter in Mars exploration. It's the first step in a series of proposed missions

譜寫了火星探索的雄心勃勃的新篇章。這是一系列擬議任務中的第一步

over the span of a decade to bring samples back, with all of the source material. The

在十年的時間裡，將樣本帶回來，所有的源頭材料。該

idea is to go to a place where the rocks are of that age of at least three and a half billion

我的想法是去一個地方，那裡的岩石至少有35億年的歷史

years, so that we can probe those for evidence for ancient life. The landing site is Jezero

這樣我們就可以探測這些地方，尋找遠古生命的證據。著陸點是Jezero

Crater. It's a remarkable 45 kilometer diameter crater that was filled with water, had a river

隕石坑。這是一個直徑45公里的非凡的隕石坑，它被水填滿，有一條河。

flowing into it and a river flowing out of it in a key timeframe in Mars' history. There

在火星曆史上的一個關鍵時間段，流進它，流出它的河流。在那裡

are mineral signatures that have been detected from orbit, including carbonate. And carbonate

是在軌道上探測到的礦物特徵，包括碳酸鹽。而碳酸鹽

is a mineral that life can sometimes use, as part of producing, say a hard shell. Those

是一種礦物，生命有時可以使用，作為生產的一部分，比如說硬殼。這些

rocks are beautifully preserved. You can see them from orbit. And that's the real reason

岩石保存得很好你可以從軌道上看到它們。這就是真正的原因

why this was chosen.

為什麼選擇這個。

The whole idea is to get a cache of samples that are so compelling

整個想法是為了得到一個令人信服的樣本緩存。

to the scientific community, that the space agencies could do nothing less than spend

對科學界來說，空間機構只能花錢，不能花錢。

the money to basically bring everything back. That's a tall order for this new rover,

的錢，基本上把一切都回來了。這對這個新的漫遊者來說是個高難度的任務。

but luckily, NASA's engineering teams are experts at building capable robot geologists. Mars

但幸運的是，美國宇航局的工程團隊是製造能幹的機器人地質學家的專家。火星

2020, the advancement is adding the sample caching system. We have a bit carousel that

2020年，推進的是增加樣本緩存系統。我們有一個位面轉盤，

holds all of our various bits or tools that we have for working on Mars. We have a five

放著我們在火星上工作的各種鑽頭或工具。我們有一個五

degree of freedom robotic arm that's on the outside of the rover that allows us to not

自由度的機械臂，是在漫遊車的外部，使我們不能夠

only dock for tool exchange but also for placing some of the science instruments. The drill

僅僅是工具交換的碼頭，也是放置一些科學儀器的碼頭。鑽頭

is able to not only be the jackhammer where it actually takes out the sample from the

是能夠不僅是千斤頂，在那裡它實際上取出樣品從

rock, but it's also able to do very delicate tool drop-offs. It's a very complex system.

巖，但它也能做到非常精巧的工具落地。這是一個非常複雜的系統。

This is the inside of Building 248 on the NASA JPL campus. It's where Eric and his

這是美國宇航局JPL園區248號樓的內部。這是埃裡克和他的

team put the sample caching system to the test. So in order to really make sure that

團隊對樣本緩存系統進行了測試。所以為了真正確保

the system's going to work, we always try to emulate the environment that we're going

系統的工作，我們總是試圖模擬我們要去的環境。

to work in. We have a Geo analog team that allows us to collect rocks something approximately

來工作。我們有一個地質模擬團隊，讓我們收集岩石的東西大約是。

close to what we might see on Mars. We created this unique test setup, where we're able

接近於我們在火星上可能看到的東西我們創造了這個獨特的測試設置，在這裡我們能夠做到：

to be in a thermal vacuum chamber, that allows us to get down to the Mars pressure. We have

在一個熱真空室裡，這使我們能夠降低到火星的壓力。我們已經

to make sure that we've learned how to get the teeth of the drill just right to get a

以確保我們已經學會了如何將鑽頭的牙齒弄得恰到好處，以獲得一個合適的

sample. Our testing over time has been an iterative process that helped us design a

樣品。隨著時間的推移，我們的測試是一個反覆的過程，幫助我們設計了一個

better, more reliable sampling system.

更好、更可靠的採樣系統。

The targeted launch window for this rover is July

該車的目標發射窗口為7月。

through Aug 2020, with a landing date of February 2021. After it survives the trip to Mars

至2020年8月，登陸日期為2021年2月。當它在火星之旅中倖存下來後

and sticks the perilous landing, the rover will take some time to get situated. There's

漫遊車要花一些時間來適應環境探測器需要一些時間來適應

usually a commissioning period It's been a long ride and everything's just kind of unfolding

通常是一個調試期 這是一個漫長的旅程，一切都在發展中。

and getting itself ready. At that point, they want to start taking advantage of where

並讓自己做好準備。這時，他們要開始利用在哪裡

they're at. Where did we land? What can we see? The main approach  is to look at a

他們在。我們在哪裡降落？我們能看到什麼？主要的方法是看一個

region of interest do a walkabout. We have cameras that are able to get the mineral signatures

感興趣的區域做一個巡視。我們有相機，能夠得到礦物質的標誌。

of rocks. We have the super cam, which is essentially a laser that can zap the rocks a few meters

的岩石。我們有超級攝像頭，它基本上是一個脈衝光，可以把岩石射出幾米遠。

away, and tell you what they're made of, which I just love that. It's fantastic. That one

離開，並告訴你 他們是由什麼， 我只是喜歡這樣。這是夢幻般的。那一個

has a microphone attached to it now too. So we'll be able to hear the rocks getting zapped

現在也有一個麥克風連接到它。所以我們就能聽到石頭被拍打的聲音。

from a distance which is pretty awesome. There is going to have to be a certain balance between

從遠處看，這是非常棒的。必須在以下兩個方面取得一定的平衡。

the desire to completely explore and then decide from there what samples you're going

渴望完全探索，然後決定從那裡你要什麼樣品。

to get. We're trying to keep everything within a one Martian year, which is about two years

以獲得。我們試圖把所有的事情都控制在一個火星年之內，也就是兩年左右的時間

Earth time to get all the samples collected. There is a pace that the science and operations

地球時間，才能把所有的樣品收集起來。有一個步伐，科學和操作

team are working to. There's 43 tubes 37 is the number that we expect to bring back. Our

團隊正在努力。有43個管子37是我們期望帶回的數字。我們的

job is to put a sample in every tube and the scientists will have to choose which ones

工作是在每個管子裡放一個樣本，科學家們必須選擇哪些樣本。

to leave behind. So we hope to give them a really tough decision. I'm really looking

要留下的。所以我們希望給他們一個非常艱難的決定。我真的很期待

forward to those conversations when we're doing the mission operations. We've got a

期待這些對話 當我們做任務操作。我們有一個

bit of a hint of it a couple of months ago, when we were all working remotely on a simulated

幾個月前，當我們都在模擬遠程工作時，就有了一點苗頭。

rover mission, where the folks from NASA JPL went out to the Nevada desert and set up a

漫遊車任務，美國宇航局JPL的人去了內華達州的沙漠，並在那裡建立了一個 "漫遊車"。

bunch of instruments, and made it look like the Rover was there. And the discussions

一堆儀器，並讓它看起來像羅孚在那裡。和討論

about what to sample were absolutely fascinating. Something that would be really compelling

關於什麼樣品絕對是迷人的。這將是真正引人注目的東西

would be like a mudstone, like a really fine grain rock that was deposited within the delta,

會像泥岩一樣，就像三角洲內沉積的一種真正的細粒岩石。

that has lots of organic matter in it. Another really compelling thing, of course, would

有大量的有機物在其中。當然，另一件真正引人注目的事情是

be these carbonate rocks. So this whole discussion about, would you, should you collect that

是這些碳酸鹽岩石。是以，這整個討論，你會，你應該收集，

particular sample, or should you explore more. After some careful decisions, the rover will start

還是應該探索更多的樣本。經過一番慎重的決定後 漫遊車就會開始...

caching. Once we've taken a rock from the ground and it's in the tube, the sample handling

緩存。一旦我們從地上取了一塊石頭，並把它放在管子裡，樣品處理

arm, inside the belly of the rover will actually go and pull the sample out and start to process

漫遊車腹部的臂膀會把樣品拉出來，並開始進行處理

it. The autonomy that's built into the system is fairly incredible there's a lot of closed

它。構建在系統中的自主性是相當令人難以置信的，有很多封閉的

loop motor control activities. Once we actually expose a sterile tube to the Martian atmosphere,

循環電機控制活動。一旦我們真正將無菌管暴露在火星大氣中。

we have a five hour timeline to actually get it sealed. Contamination is a critical part

我們有5個小時的時間來實際密封它。汙染是一個關鍵部分

of our mission. We don't want to take any organics with us. This is something that

我們的任務。我們不想把任何有機物帶走。這是什麼

feels like a Sci Fi movie but it's reality. The plan is to drop off the samples in bunches

感覺像科幻電影，但這是現實。計劃是把樣品成串地扔掉。

around Mars where a future mission would land and use a fetch rover to go and pick them

在火星周圍，未來的任務將在那裡著陸，然後用取物車去接它們。

up. They'll be installed into a Mars ascent vehicle, which will then launch off of Mars

了。它們將被安裝到一個火星登月器中，然後再從火星上發射。

into a Martian orbit where another mission would come rendezvous and pick up the sample. And

進入火星軌道，在那裡另一個任務會合並取走樣本。然後

then that orbiter would then turn back and head back towards Earth. The current plans

然後，該軌道器就會掉頭，返回地球。目前的計劃是

are for the samples to be returned to Earth in 2031. There's a small, but non zero chance

是為了讓樣本在2031年返回地球。有一個小的，但不是零的機會。

that there is extant life that could come back with the samples. And so that's where

有現存的生命可以和樣本一起回來。所以這就是

the other part of Mars sample return is really important, which is the sample receiving facility.

火星樣品返回的另一個環節才是真正重要的，那就是樣品接收設施。

And then the design of that is going to be next level kind of stuff though, because the

然後設計的，將是下一個層次的東西，雖然，因為該。

same time that we're trying to keep whatever is in the samples from getting out into the

同時，我們也在努力防止樣品中的任何東西流到外面去

Earth environment, we're also trying to keep the Earth environment from getting into the

地球環境，我們也在努力讓地球環境不至於進入到

samples. I'm one of 10 people selected as a Return Sample scientist, through a NASA

樣本。我是通過美國宇航局選拔出來的10名返回樣本科學家之一。

call. These are all people, like myself, who have experience in the lab with samples of

呼叫。這些人都是像我一樣，在實驗室裡有經驗的人，他們的樣本是

meteorites. You know, age 13, I think, I said I want to be there when the samples come

隕石。我13歲的時候，我想，我說我想在那裡 當樣本來了

back and it's a dream come true to really be involved as a return sample scientist,

回，能真正作為回樣科學家參與其中，真是夢想成真。

as someone who is an expert in what you do with the samples when they come back.

作為一個人誰是專家在你做什麼 與樣品時，他們回來了。

I sure hope I'll be able to see them. I'm going to have my favorites. They are going to be curated

我當然希望能夠看到他們。我會有我的最愛。他們將被策劃

under the best possible conditions and preserved indefinitely for generations to come. Each

在最好的條件下，併為後代無限期地保存。每個

one of those will be scrutinized like you wouldn't believe, the way that all the Apollo

其中一個會被仔細檢查，就像你不會相信的那樣，就像所有的阿波羅飛船一樣

samples have been scrutinized for 50 or more years, now with the added bonus, of course,

樣品經過50年或更長時間的審查，現在當然還有額外的獎勵。

that we're actually going to an environment that could potentially have been habitable.

我們實際上要去一個可能適合居住的環境。

To hopefully answer the big question: was there life on Mars? I don't really have a

希望能回答一個大問題：火星上有生命嗎？我真的沒有

good answer for that but another way to look at that question is to say, well, if we don't

很好的答案，但另一種方式來看待這個問題是說，好吧，如果我們不這樣做。

find life that's a significant step toward understanding what life is all about. And

找到生活，是瞭解生活的重要一步。而

how unique it is, for example, for the Earth. On the flip side, if we do find evidence for

比如說，對於地球來說，它是多麼的獨特。反過來說，如果我們真的找到證據證明

ancient microbial life it just opens that door to life being incredibly abundant throughout

古老的微生物生命，它只是打開了一扇門，讓生命在整個過程中變得非常豐富。

the whole universe on these almost infinite number of planets that are being discovered

在這些正在被發現的幾乎無窮無盡的星球上，整個宇宙都被發現了

in our galaxy and beyond.

在我們的銀河系和其他地方。