astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt

尤金-切爾南和哈里森-施密特兩位太空人。

blasted off the moon and headed home.

轟然離開月球，回家了。

Astronaut: We're on our way, Houston!

太空人我們在我們的方式，休斯頓！

Narrator: It was the last time any human stepped foot

旁白：那是最後一次有人類踏上這片土地

on the lunar surface.

在月球表面。

But NASA is hoping that's about to change.

但NASA希望這種情況即將改變。

This is the new era of space exploration.

這是太空探索的新時代。

And it's even more ambitious than before.

而且比以前更有野心。

In May 2019, NASA officially announced

2019年5月，NASA正式宣佈

its new project, Artemis.

其新項目Artemis。

Dave Mosher: Artemis is NASA's big plan to go

戴夫-莫舍阿特米斯號是美國宇航局的大計劃之一

back to the moon by 2024,

到2024年回到月球。

to land the first woman and the next man

爭取第一個女人和下一個男人

on the surface of the moon.

在月球表面。

Narrator: The mission was named in homage

旁白：這個任務的名字是為了紀念

to Apollo's twin sister, Artemis,

到阿波羅的孿生妹妹阿爾忒彌斯。

the Greek goddess of the hunt and the moon.

希臘的狩獵和月亮女神。

But just because it bears a similar name

但是，僅僅因為它有一個相似的名字

doesn't make it an Apollo rerun.

但這並不能使它成為阿波羅的重播。

Where Apollo astronauts only spent hours or days

阿波羅的太空人只花了幾個小時或幾天的時間

on the lunar surface,

在月球表面。

Artemis astronauts will potentially

阿耳特彌斯號太空人將有可能...

spend weeks there

在那裡呆上幾個星期

to explore it for resources

挖掘資源

and investigate the far side of the moon,

並調查月球的遠方。

as well as to test technologies

以及測試技術

for future deep-space missions.

為今後的深空飛行任務服務。

This will give scientists a much better understanding

這將使科學家們更好地瞭解

of the solar system, its history,

的太陽系，它的歷史。

and how to operate in deep space.

以及如何在深空作業。

And that's the pressing reason for this mission.

而這也是這次任務的迫切原因。

Mosher: But it's also a dry run for going to Mars,

莫舍。但這也是去火星的一個乾貨。

which is much father and much harder.

這要父親得多，也難得多。

The journey, instead of being three days to the moon,

這段路程，不是三天就能到月球。

is six to nine months.

是六到九個月。

So you need to practice these deep-space operations,

所以你需要練習這些深空操作。

and you also need to practice surface operations.

而且你還需要練習表面操作。

The moon is a great place to go for that

月球是一個很好的去處，為那

because it's so close.

因為它是如此接近。

Narrator: But even though it's close,

旁白：但即使它是接近。

that doesn't mean it's cheap.

這並不意味著它的便宜。

NASA said it will need $20 billion to $30 billion

美國宇航局表示，需要200億至300億美元

for the next mission.

為下一個任務。

That's up to $6 billion annually over the next five years,

未來5年，每年高達60億美元。

and that's on top of its current $20-billion-plus

而這是在其目前200多億美元的基礎上的

annual budget.

年度預算。

Though, for comparison, $30 billion is only

雖然相比之下，300億美金只是

about 4% of the US's annual military budget.

約佔美國年度軍事預算的4%。

Or about three of the Navy's newest nuclear submarines.

或者是關於海軍最新的三艘核潛艇。

Now, a lot of Artemis' budget will go towards

現在，阿爾忒彌斯的很多預算將用於

building NASA's next-generation rocket,

建造NASA的下一代火箭。

the Space Launch System, or SLS.

空間發射系統，即SLS。

Mosher: Space Launch System is this gargantuan rocket

莫舍爾。太空發射系統是這個巨大的火箭。

that will actually take the astronauts

將真正把太空人

into orbit around Earth

進入繞地球軌道

and a bunch of the equipment they need to go up there, too.

和一堆設備，他們需要去那裡，太。

Narrator: Once finished, it will be

旁白：一旦完成，它將是

the most powerful rocket ever made.

有史以來最強大的火箭。

But things with the SLS haven't exactly gone to plan.

但SLS的事情並沒有完全按計劃進行。

Mosher: The first rocket was supposed to launch in 2017,

莫舍。第一枚火箭應該在2017年發射。

and it's now 2019 and they're not looking

而現在是2019年，他們不看

to launch the first one until 2021.

到2021年推出第一款。

So they're years behind schedule,

所以他們比計劃晚了幾年。

billions of dollars over budget,

超出預算數十億美元。

and they're supposed to make

他們應該讓

one of these every year or two going forward.

今後每隔一兩年就會有一個這樣的人。

Narrator: To top it off, SLS isn't reusable,

最重要的是，SLS不能重複使用最重要的是，SLS不能重複使用。

like SpaceX's Falcon Heavy.

如SpaceX的獵鷹重型飛船。

So that means after each launch,

所以說，每次發射後。

the rocket will be discarded.

火箭將被丟棄。

That's an estimated $1.5 billion to $3 billion

估計需要15億至30億美元

NASA won't get back for every launch.

美國宇航局不會每次發射都能回來。

And that raises the question,

這就提出了一個問題。

why doesn't it just team up with SpaceX

為什麼不和SpaceX合作呢？

and use the Falcon Heavy?

並使用 "獵鷹重型"？

Mosher: The advantages of SLS is that it's just bigger,

莫舍爾。SLS的優勢在於它的體積更大。

and that's important if you're trying

而這一點很重要，如果你試圖

to get big space-station modules

以獲得大型空間站模塊

and lunar landers out into space.

和月球登陸器進入太空。

Narrator: Estimates show the Falcon Heavy could

旁白：據估計，"獵鷹重型 "可能

launch a payload of about 21,000 kilograms to the moon,

向月球發射約21000公斤的有效載荷。

whereas NASA says the SLS will lift more than twice that.

而美國宇航局說，SLS將提升兩倍以上。

So, yeah, size definitely matters, but it's also about...

所以，是的，尺寸絕對重要，但它也是關於... ...

Mosher: Politics, jobs, and other missions.

莫舍。政治、工作和其他任務。

So, politics, because

所以，政治，因為

these people in Congress who pull the purse strings

這些人在國會中誰拉動錢包的線

have a lot of districts where NASA centers are located.

有很多NASA中心所在的地區。

The second part, jobs, is because

第二部分，就業，是因為

there are tens of thousands of people employed to build

有數以萬計的人受僱建造

and maintain and do all the things you need to do

並維護和做所有你需要做的事情。

to create Space Launch System.

以建立空間發射系統。

And the third part is that NASA is legally bound

第三部分是，美國宇航局在法律上是有約束力的。

to use this rocket for some missions,

將這枚火箭用於某些任務。

including the Europa Clipper,

包括 "歐羅巴快船"。

which is supposed to go out to Jupiter

它應該是到木星去的

and look for signs of life around one of its icy moons.

並在它的一顆冰冷的衛星周圍尋找生命的跡象。

Narrator: Now, contrary to old sci-fi films,

旁白：現在，與老式科幻電影相反，

rockets don't land on the moon.

火箭不會降落在月球上。

There's a series of steps that happen first,

有一系列的步驟，先發生。

including rocket-stage separations

包括火箭級分離

and reaching lunar orbit.

併到達月球軌道。

Now, for Apollo astronauts,

現在，對於阿波羅的太空人。

they flew their spacecraft into lunar orbit,

他們將航天器送入月球軌道。

undocked the lunar lander,

解除月球登陸器的對接。

and rode it down to the surface.

並將其騎到了地面上。

Artemis has bigger plans.

阿爾忒彌斯有更大的計劃

Like Apollo, Artemis will fly a spacecraft called Orion

與阿波羅一樣，阿爾忒彌斯號將搭載一個名為 "獵戶座 "的航天器。

towards the moon.

朝著月亮。

But then, instead of orbiting the moon by itself,

但後來，不是自己繞著月球轉。

it will dock at what NASA has dubbed the Gateway.

它將停靠在美國宇航局所稱的 "門戶"。

Mosher: The Gateway is kind of like this

莫舍。閘道是這樣的

orbital outpost for the moon.

月球的軌道前哨。

It's the place you go to sort of stock up,

這是你去買東西的地方。

get everything you need, get your affairs in order.

得到你所需要的一切，讓你的事務井井有條。

Narrator: So, it will act as a living space

旁白：所以，它將作為一個生活空間

for astronauts going to and from the moon.

為往返月球的太空人。

But it will also house an in-space laboratory

但它也將容納一個空間實驗室。

and be a port for future deep-space missions,

併成為未來深空任務的端口。

such as a trip to Mars.

如去火星旅行。

After two test missions to the moon's orbit,

在進行了兩次月球軌道試驗任務後。

NASA plans to start building the Gateway in 2022,

美國宇航局計劃在2022年開始建造 "門戶"。

but astronauts still need a way to and from

但太空人仍然需要一個來回的途徑。

the lunar surface.

月球表面。

That's where the lunar lander comes in.

這就是月球登陸器的作用。

And this is one part of the mission NASA might not build.

而這也是NASA可能不會建造的任務之一。

Mosher: Its administrator has said, look, commercial space,

莫舍。它的管理員說，看，商業空間。

like companies like Blue Origin and SpaceX,

像藍色起源和SpaceX等公司。

they're getting better at this than we are.

他們比我們更擅長這個。

Narrator: Whether NASA decides to team up or not

旁白：不管NASA是否決定合作

is a mystery right now.

是一個謎，現在。

But if anything is certain,

但如果說有什麼是可以肯定的。

it's that temporary trips to and from the moon

暫時往返於月球之上

will only be the start.

將只是一個開始。

Ultimately, NASA wants a permanent lunar base

最終，NASA希望建立一個永久性的月球基地。

where astronauts can live and work on the moon.

太空人可以在月球上生活和工作的地方。

Mosher: So, after the first landing, in 2024,

莫舍爾所以，在第一次登陸後，在2024年。

NASA is hoping to do one, about one a year, through 2028,

美國宇航局希望在2028年之前，每年大約做一次。

set up this moon base,

建立這個月球基地。

and then we're really talking about something interesting,

然後我們就真的在談論一些有趣的事情。

which is mining the moon for water.

它正在月球上開採水。

Water you can split into hydrogen and oxygen,

水你可以抽成氫氣和氧氣。

which are two really important rocket fuels.

這是兩種非常重要的火箭燃料。

Narrator: Right now, humans are limited

旁白：現在，人類是有限的

to how far we can travel in space

我們可以在太空中旅行多遠

by the amount of fuel in our rocket tanks at launch.

由我們發射時火箭罐中的燃料量決定。

But once you can make rocket fuel in space,

但一旦你能在太空中製造火箭燃料。

then you can travel much farther.

那麼你就可以走得更遠。

Mosher: They want to set up this lunar base

莫舍。他們想建立這個月球基地。

on the surface to mine all the water

在地面上開採所有的水

and make the Gateway this big, go-to destination

並將港灣打造成這個大的、可以去的地方。

for refueling and this pit stop for Mars.

用於加油，而這個火星的停靠站。

Narrator: And then, if they can figure all that out?

然後，如果他們能搞清楚這些？然後，如果他們能搞清楚所有的事情？

Mosher: We're talking about expanding the reach

Mosher我們說的是擴大覆蓋面

of the human race throughout the solar system.

人類在整個太陽系中的地位。

Narrator: Sounds great in theory,

旁白：理論上聽起來不錯

but in reality, there's gonna be some tension.

但在現實中， 有會是一些緊張。

Mosher: The politics of the moon are going to get very weird

莫舍。月球的政治將變得非常奇怪。

in the coming decades

未來幾十年

if we start building permanent human bases there.

如果我們開始在那裡建立永久性的人類基地。

China wants to go there, NASA wants to go there,

中國想去那裡，NASA想去那裡。

SpaceX wants to go there,

SpaceX想去那裡。

but international space law basically says

但國際空間法基本上說

you can't claim any territory in space

在太空中，你不能要求任何領土

or on another planet, another body.

或在另一個星球，另一個身體。

Narrator: That's right, space law.

旁白：是的，空間法

In 1967, the United Nations founded the Outer Space Treaty.

1967年，聯合國制定了《外層空間條約》。

Ratified by 109 countries,

經109個國家準許。

this first treaty sets boundaries for space travel.

這第一個條約為空間旅行設定了界限。

There have been four more treaties since,

此後又有四項條約。

but the last was signed decades ago.

但最後一個是幾十年前籤的。

So, currently, space law is pretty outdated.

所以，目前，空間法已經很過時了。

Mosher: The international space law has to catch up

莫舍爾。國際空間法必須迎頭趕上

to the current times.

到現在的時代。

And we haven't done that yet.

而我們還沒有做到這一點。

Narrator: For example, it lacks clarity,

敘述者。例如，它缺乏清晰度。

especially with regards to mining resources.

特別是在礦業資源方面。

There is nothing on who would own the resources,

沒有任何關於誰會擁有這些資源的規定。

whether they would need a license,

他們是否需要一個許可證。

or how to settle disputes,

或如何解決糾紛。

or even who can approve the mining in the first place.

甚至誰能首先準許開採。

Solving these and other issues will be key

解決這些問題和其他問題將是關鍵

to the new era of space exploration envisioned by NASA.

到美國航天局設想的空間探索新時代。

If it happens, that is.

如果它發生，那就是。

Mosher: There isn't the political willpower,

莫舍沒有政治意志力。

because of that,

因為這個。

and we're really pinched for dollars,

我們真的很拮据的美元。

with all of the domestic issues and climate change

在國內問題和氣候變化的情況下

and other major priorities

和其他主要優先事項

that are happening here on Earth.

在地球上發生的。

So whether or not NASA can pull this off

那麼，NASA是否能成功地完成這個任務呢？

remains to be seen.

還有待觀察。

Narrator: But even if NASA doesn't,

旁白：但即使NASA不這樣做

maybe someone else will.

也許有人會。