Three astronauts, with spacesuits, food, water, and a battery of scientific and communications

三名太空人，帶著宇航服、食物、水和一系列科學和通信設備。

equipment, prepared to fly to the moon.

裝備，準備飛向月球。

Thousands gathered at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, including President and Mrs. Richard

數千人聚集在佛羅里達州的肯尼迪航天中心，包括理查德總統和夫人。

Nixon, to witness the historic launch.

尼克松，見證歷史性的發射。

It was raining that day, but that was no cause for delay. The ship that would carry them

那天下著雨，但這並不是拖延的理由。運送他們的船

into space was designed to launch in any weather.

進入太空的設計是為了在任何天氣下發射。

But how would it respond to a powerful electrical storm now gathering above the launch pad?

但是，它將如何應對現在聚集在發射臺上方的強大電風暴？

That was just the beginning of the incredible journey of Apollo 12.

這只是阿波羅12號不可思議的旅程的開始。

With three astronauts fastened into their seats, the countdown proceeded.

隨著三名太空人固定在座位上，倒計時開始了。

Astronaut and Mission Commander Pete Conrad would say later: “The flight was extremely

太空人兼任務指揮官皮特-康拉德後來會說。"這次飛行是非常...

normal, for the first 36 seconds.”

正常，前36秒"。

The five engines of the Saturn 5’s huge first stage were designed to burn through

土星5號巨大的第一級的五臺發動機被設計成可以燒燬。

5 million pounds of liquid oxygen in just two and a half minutes, and to send the spacecraft

5百萬磅的液態氧在短短的兩分半鐘內，並將航天器送出。

up 67 kilometers above the Atlantic Ocean.

在大西洋上空67公里處。

When it reached an altitude of 2000 meters, something unexpected happened.

當它到達2000米的高度時，意想不到的事情發生了。

Racing through the stormy environment, the rocket generated a lightning bolt that traveled

火箭在暴風雨的環境中飛馳，產生了一道道閃電，穿越了

down its highly conductive exhaust trail.

沿著其高導電性的排氣管道。

Another bolt hit 16 seconds later.

16秒後，又是一聲炮響。

All of the spacecraft’s circuit breakers shut off. The tracking system was lost.

太空梭的所有斷路器都關閉了。追蹤系統丟失。

A young flight controller in Houston, Texas instructed astronaut Alan Bean on how to turn

德克薩斯州休斯敦的一名年輕的飛行控制員指導太空人阿蘭-賓如何轉。

on an auxiliary power system. The mission was back on track.

在輔助動力系統上。任務又回到了正軌。

Once in Earth orbit, all systems appeared to check out, and flight control officials

一旦進入地球軌道，所有系統似乎都檢查完畢，飛行控制官員

gave the crew the green light to leave Earth.

給船員開了離開地球的綠燈。

The astronauts were not told of concern that the lighting strikes had damaged the pyrotechnic

太空人們並沒有被告知擔心燈光打擊損壞了煙火。

system used to deploy the parachutes that would ease them back through the Earth’s

用於部署降落傘的系統，以使他們輕鬆地通過地球的回程

atmosphere.

氛圍。

If that system failed, the astronauts would not return alive.

如果該系統出現故障，太空人將無法活著回來。

This mission would have its share of perils, not unlike those faced by a long line of past

這項任務將有它的一部分危險，不象過去一長串的人所面臨的危險。

explorers, whose courage and restless spirit propelled them into the unknown.

探險家，他們的勇氣和不安分的精神將他們推向了未知的世界。

This one, however, was backed by years of technology development, test flights, astronaut

不過，這個背後是多年的技術研發、試飛、太空人。

training, and the largest support team back home that any mission ever had.

訓練，以及任何一個特派團都有的最大的支持團隊回國。

But hundreds of thousands of kilometers out in space the three astronauts were pretty

但在幾十萬公里外的太空中，三位太空人很是

much on their own.

多靠自己。

What made Apollo 12 unique was the friendship and chemistry of its crew. Conrad, Bean, and

阿波羅12號的獨特之處在於其隊員的友誼和化學反應。康拉德、賓和

Richard Gordon were all Navy men. Working and training together on the Gemini program,

理查德-戈登都是海軍的人。一起在雙子星計劃中工作和訓練。

they had gained each other’s respect and trust.

他們已經獲得了對方的尊重和信任。

Now, hurtling across more than 400,000 kilometers to the moon, they prepared to fullfill the

現在，他們跨越40多萬公里的距離飛向月球，準備滿載而歸。

mission’s goals.

特派團的目標。

One was to set up a scientific station designed to record seismic, atmospheric, and solar

其中之一是建立一個科學站，旨在記錄地震、大氣和太陽。

data.

數據。

Another was to visit an unmanned lunar probe called Surveyor III that had landed there

另一個是訪問一個名為 "勘測者三號 "的無人月球探測器，該探測器已在那裡著陸。

two and a half years before. The idea was to bring back a part to study the effect of

兩年半前。的想法是把一個部分帶回來研究效果。

the lunar environment.

月球環境；

A third goal was to improve on the landing of Apollo 11 just 5 months before.

第三個目標是在5個月前阿波羅11號登陸的基礎上加以改進。

Dropping down over a region called the Sea of Tranquility, pilot Neil Armstrong found

飛行員尼爾-阿姆斯特朗在一個叫 "寧靜之海 "的地區上空墜落，他找到了

himself heading straight for a crater full of boulders.

自己直奔一個滿是巨石的火山口而去。

He had to fly over the planned landing site and find a new one.

他不得不飛過計劃中的降落點，尋找新的降落點。

Now kilometers beyond the target, the lander, called Eagle, was literally running out of

現在，距離目標數千米，名為 "鷹 "的著陸器，已經沒有多少錢了

gas.

氣。

With less than 30 seconds of fuel left, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin finally touched

在燃料只剩下不到30秒的時候 尼爾-阿姆斯特朗和巴茲-奧爾德林終於接觸到了。

down on a landscape obscured by dust stirred up by

俯視著被塵土激起的風景

the vehicle’s thrusters.

車輛的推進器。

Future astronauts would have to be able to make precision landings at locations dictated

未來的太空人必須能夠在規定的地點進行精確降落

by science. That meant they would have to touch down on landscapes filled with all kinds

由科學。這意味著他們將不得不降落在充滿各種景觀的土地上。

of rocks and craters.

的岩石和火山口。

For Apollo 12, the science pointed to a region known as the Ocean of Storms, some 2000 kilometers

對於阿波羅12號來說，科學指出了一個被稱為風暴海洋的區域，大約2000公里的地方

from where the Eagle had landed. Here, the landscape is dark from lava that cooled to

從老鷹號降落的地方開始在這裡，由於熔岩冷卻到一定程度，地貌變得漆黑一片。

form its flat expanse billions of years ago.

在數十億年前形成其平坦的廣闊天地。

Within it, an impacting asteroid had hollowed out Copernicus crater, perhaps showering the

在它的內部，一顆撞擊的小行星掏空了哥白尼隕石坑，也許在它的身上灑下了雨水。

region with rocks blasted out from deep underground.

區域內有從地下深處爆破出來的岩石。

To sample this geological treasure trove, the astronauts sought to land at a series

為了對這一地質寶庫進行採樣，太空人們尋求在一系列的地方著陸。

of smaller craters about 45 kilometers away.

約45公里外的小型隕石坑。

After a journey lasting 83 and a half hours, the crew fired the spacecraft’s engine to

經過83個半小時的旅程，船員們啟動了航天器的發動機，以達到

go into an elliptical lunar orbit.

進入橢圓月球軌道。

Five hours later a second burn put the spacecraft into a circular orbit 111 kilometers above

5個小時後，第二次燃燒將航天器送入離地球111公里的圓形軌道。

the lunar surface.

月球表面。

The next day, Pete Conrad and Allan Bean entered the lunar module, Intrepid.

第二天，皮特-康拉德和艾倫-賓進入了月球艙，無畏號。

Separating from the command module, they dropped down toward their target.

分開指揮艙，他們向著目標落下。

Pete Conrad would rely on improvements in the ship’s landing radar to find his way

皮特-康拉德將依靠改進後的艦船著陸雷達來找到他的路。

to touchdown.

到觸地。

Pete Conrad and Alan Bean landed without a hitch.

皮特-康拉德和艾倫-賓順利落地。

Now, they prepared to climb down the ladder to experience a whole new world.

現在，他們準備爬下梯子去體驗一個全新的世界。

The plan was for Earth to experience it too, courtesy of a color video camera that was

計劃是讓地球也體驗一下，由一臺彩色攝影機提供，這臺攝影機是

designed to send back a live signal.

設計用於發送回現場信號。

Conrad was careful to keep it pointed away from the Sun to protect its sensitive imaging

康拉德小心翼翼地讓它遠離太陽，以保護其敏感的成像。

tubes. Unfortunately, it caught the glare from Intrepid’s shiny surface, and blew.

管。不幸的是，它被無畏號閃亮的表面所反射的強光所吸引，炸了。

Back on Earth, the television networks cancelled their coverage. Millions of viewers then went

回到地球后，電視網絡取消了他們的報道。數以百萬計的觀眾隨後去

about their day.

關於他們的日子。

Which left Conrad and Bean to go about theirs’.

這讓Conrad和Bean去做他們的事。

The astronauts spent the first of two four-hour moonwalks setting up science and communications

太空人們在兩次四小時的月球行走中，第一次在月球上進行了科學和通信設置

equipment, taking photographs, and seeing what was there.

設備，拍照，看看有什麼。

There were discoveries and surprises aplenty. One was a series of mounds out in the open,

有很多發現和驚喜。其中一個是露天的一系列土丘。

perhaps made up of material ejected from the craters upon impact.

也許是由撞擊時從隕石坑中噴出的物質組成。

Two and a half hours into the moonwalk, the astronauts flipped their wrist-mounted checklists

在月球行走的兩個半小時後，太空人們翻開了他們的腕上的檢查表。

to their next task.

到他們的下一個任務。

They opened an unlikely page, placed there by the Apollo 12 back-up crew.

他們打開了一個不太可能的頁面，是阿波羅12號的備份隊員放在那裡的。

This little prank hardly distracted from their central goal: to walk among the craters making

這個小惡作劇幾乎沒有分散他們的中心目標：走在環形山中，使

observations and picking up rocks.

觀察和撿石頭。

That was part of a major, unheralded, scientific quest of the Apollo program: to find clues

這是阿波羅計劃中一個重要的、未被提及的科學探索的一部分：尋找線索。

to where the moon came from.

到月亮從哪裡來。

At the time, there were three leading theories.

當時，有三種主流理論。

The so-called fission theory, championed by George Howard Darwin, son of Charles Darwin,

所謂的裂變理論，由查爾斯-達爾文的兒子喬治-霍華德-達爾文倡導。

held that the moon was once part of the Earth, cast off by the rapid spin of its young parent.

認為月球曾經是地球的一部分，由其年輕的母體快速旋轉拋下。

That might explain the Pacific Ocean, a giant hole in the Earth’s surface.

這也許可以解釋太平洋，地球表面的一個巨大的洞。

Then there was the capture theory, which held that the moon was a wayward object that floated

然後是捕獲理論，它認為月球是一個漂浮在空中的流浪物

through our solar system and was pulled into orbit by Earth’s gravity.

穿過太陽系，被地球引力拉入軌道。

A third idea came from the American astronomer Thomas Jefferson Jackson See, known at the

第三個想法來自美國天文學家托馬斯-傑弗遜-傑克遜-見，他的名字是在

time for his attacks on Einstein’s theories.

他對愛因斯坦理論的攻擊時間。

He suggested that the Moon formed near Earth and gradually fell under its gravitational

他認為，月球形成於地球附近，並在其引力作用下逐漸下降

spell. In that case, moon rocks should resemble those of Earth.

拼。在這種情況下，月球岩石應該與地球岩石相似。

Finding out which theory is correct would also yield clues to the formation of the solar

找出哪種理論的正確性，也會得到太陽的形成線索。

system at large, and perhaps even to the birth of our own planet.

整個系統，甚至可能是我們自己星球的誕生。

Day Two on the Moon. Neither Conrad nor Bean had been able to get much sleep. Excitement

月球上的第二天。康拉德和憨豆都沒能睡好覺。興奮

got the best of them.

得到了他們最好的。

The pair now left Intrepid for a second, and final, moonwalk.

現在兩人離開無畏號進行第二次，也是最後一次月球行走。

The suits they wore had been built for spending time on the Moon’s surface, with five layers

他們所穿的太空服是為在月球表面停留時間而設計的，有五層。

stitched together to maintain constant temperature and air pressure. Because direct exposure

縫合在一起，以保持恆定的溫度和氣壓。因為直接接觸

to the sun could heat the suits to 120 degrees Fahrenheit, the innermost layers circulated

陽光可以把衣服加熱到華氏120度，最裡面的那層衣服則循環了起來

water around the astronaut’s body to keep him cool.

圍繞太空人身體的水，讓他保持涼爽。

On the outside was a shell to protect against micro-meteors that routinely batter the moon’s

外面是一個外殼，以防止經常撞擊月球的微流星。

surface. The astronauts found that lunar dust was so abrasive that this outer layer quickly

表面。太空人發現，月球塵埃的磨蝕性很強，以至於這層外層很快就

sustained damage, and so fine that it crept into the rotating wrist joints.

持續的損傷，而且細得爬進了旋轉的腕關節。

This time, the plan was to move out along the edge of Surveyor Crater and pay the probe

這次，計劃是沿著勘測者隕石坑的邊緣移動，並付給探測器

a visit.

來參觀。

Along the way, there were pictures to take, samples to collect, coring tools to drive

一路走來，有照片要拍，有樣品要採集，有取芯工具要開動。

into the ground.

入地。

It was a world filled with optical illusions and strange juxtapositions.

那是一個充滿了光學幻覺和奇怪的並置的世界。

The lunar landscape appears monochromatic, a bright gray. With no atmosphere, the light

月球的景色顯得很單調，是一種明亮的灰色。由於沒有大氣層，光線

is harsh, with shadows cast in deep black.

是刺眼的，陰影投射在深黑色。

But close up, the moon offers a variety of rich and colorful details owing to its tumultuous

但近距離看，由於月球的動盪，提供了各種豐富多彩的細節。

past.

過去。

The Ocean of Storms is an ancient basin that was hollowed out by a huge impact and filled

風暴之海是一個古老的盆地，被巨大的衝擊力掏空，填滿了。

with lava.

與熔岩。

Finally, the team arrived at Surveyor. They cut off select components to take back to

最後，小隊到達勘察隊。他們將選定的部件切割下來，帶回

Earth.

地球。

Scientists would make a surprising discovery lodged in the camera was a colony of bacteria.

科學家們會有一個令人驚訝的發現，在相機裡藏著的是一個細菌群。

Did it sneak into the component upon its return to Earth? Or, had it somehow survived for

它是在回到地球后偷偷溜進組件的嗎？或者，它以某種方式存活了下來

two and a half years on the moon?

在月球上呆了兩年半？

To this day, no one knows the answer to this intriguing question.

時至今日，沒有人知道這個耐人尋味的問題的答案。

One final stop remained: Block crater, where a basketball-sized impactor had exposed the

還剩下最後一站。布洛克環形山，一個籃球大小的撞擊器暴露出一個巨大無比的環形山。

lunar bedrock, leaving a wealth of new samples.

月球基岩，留下了豐富的新樣本。

One rock they picked up is known as KREEP, for potassium, rare earth elements, and phosphorus.

他們撿到的一塊岩石被稱為KREEP，為鉀、稀土元素和磷。

It’s thought to be a piece of bedrock that formed over 4 billion years ago… on a lunar

它被認為是一塊40多億年前形成的基岩... 在月球上。

surface that was entirely molten.

完全熔化的表面。

Just a few years later, this evidence would coalesce into a radical new idea of the moon’s

就在幾年後，這些證據將凝聚成一個激進的新想法，即月球上的 "月球"。

origins.

起源。

At the dawn of the solar system, Earth shared an orbit with a Mars-sized body now called

在太陽系誕生之初，地球與一個火星大小的天體共享一個軌道，這個天體現在被稱為

Theia.

Theia.

Its orbit became unstable and it headed in Earth’s direction.

它的軌道變得不穩定，並朝地球的方向飛去。

Theia struck Earth at an oblique angle, causing the Earth to spin faster and debris from both

忒伊亞以斜角撞擊地球，導致地球自轉速度加快，而來自這兩個星球的碎片也在不斷增加。

bodies to fly into orbit.

體飛入軌道。

When the dust settled, the debris began to coalesce in Earth orbit, forming the Moon.

當塵埃落定後，碎片開始在地球軌道上凝聚，形成月球。

The moon, then, comes primarily from the outer layers of the Earth and Theia. That’s why

那麼，月球主要來自於地球和提亞的外層。這就是為什麼

overall the moon is less dense than Earth.

總體來說，月球的密度比地球小。

From this violent beginning, the moon gradually cooled, and the magma that lined its surface

從這個劇烈的開始，月球逐漸冷卻，而其表面的岩漿也逐漸冷卻

hardened into a crust.

硬化成殼。

It was now time for Conrad and Bean to prepare for the return flight home.

現在是康拉德和憨豆準備回國的時候了。

Along with their gear, they packed up 75 pounds of scientifically priceless dirt and rocks.

除了裝備，他們還收拾了75斤重的科學無價的泥土和石頭。

In the years to come, these samples, and those from the remaining Apollo missions, would

在未來的歲月裡，這些樣本，以及來自阿波羅其餘任務的樣本，將

continue to yield clues to the history of the moon, and its companion, Earth.

繼續為月球及其同伴地球的歷史提供線索。

Even as Conrad and Bean lifted off from the moon, there was still more science to do.

即使康拉德和憨豆從月球上升空，還有更多的科學工作要做。

The lander rose up to join the command module, docking flawlessly. Conrad and Bean transferred

著陸器升起加入指揮艙，完美對接。康拉德和憨豆轉移

their samples and equipment.

其樣品和設備。

Then they released Intrepid, sending it hurtling back down to the Lunar surface. The idea was

然後他們釋放了無畏號，讓它飛快地回到了月球表面。這個想法是

to use the impact of a crash landing to calibrate equipment that would monitor moon quakes and

利用墜落的衝擊力來校準監測月球地震的設備，並在月球上建立起一個 "月球震"。

asteroid impacts.

小行星撞擊。

When it hit, the impact resonnated like a bell for over half an hour, as seismic waves

撞擊時，由於地震波的作用，衝擊力如鐘聲般重新響起，持續了半個多小時。

rippled through the moon’s interior.

在月球內部泛起了陣陣漣漪。

There was one more thing left to do: get home safely.

還有一件事要做：安全回家。

Just before arrival, they gazed at a brilliant scene of Earth moving across the sun.

就在到達之前，他們凝視著地球在太陽上移動的輝煌景象。

Apollo 12 hit Earth’s atmosphere at 40,000 kilometers per hour.

阿波羅12號以每小時4萬公里的速度撞擊地球大氣層。

The parachute pack opened just fine.

傘包打開就好了。

Not even a bolt of lightning could spoil this trip. The crew of Apollo 12 had shown how

即使是一道閃電也不能破壞這次旅行。阿波羅12號的乘員們已經證明了...

it’s done, even adding flair to efficiency and precision.

它的完成，甚至增加了效率和精度的天賦。

Well, almost.

嗯，幾乎是。

At splashdown, Alan Bean got beaned by a camera that had not been secured. His five stitches

在水花四濺的時候，艾倫-賓被一臺沒有固定好的攝影機給拍到了。他縫了五針

would be forgotten.

會被遺忘。

What no one could forget was a camera magazine filled with exposed film that had gotten jammed

最讓人難以忘懷的是一本相機雜誌，裡面裝滿了被卡住的曝光的膠捲

and then accidentally left on the lunar surface.

然後不小心留在了月球表面。

Ironically, given the magnitude of their accomplishment, the astronauts reported catching hell for

具有諷刺意味的是，考慮到他們的巨大成就，太空人們報告說，由於他們的成就，他們被抓了個正著。

that oversight.

這一疏忽。

Conrad, Bean and the other astronauts of Apollo will go down in history as the first to step

康拉德、賓和阿波羅號的其他太空人將作為第一個踏上太空的人被載入史冊。

off our planet. Four moon landings later, the program faded away in the wake of declining

離開我們的星球。四次登陸月球后，該計劃在不斷減少的情況下逐漸消失了。

expectations, social discord, and the politics of those turbulent times.

期望、社會不和諧，以及那個動盪時代的政治。

The incredible journey of Apollo 12 lives on as a symbol for those who may one day revive

阿波羅12號令人難以置信的旅程作為一個象徵，為那些有朝一日可能會重振旗鼓的人而存在。

the instinct to travel beyond our planet, in search of clues to the origins of our world,

旅行到地球之外的本能，尋找我們世界起源的線索。

and our place in the cosmos.

以及我們在宇宙中的位置。

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