and enjoy those views of our beautiful planet.

並享受我們美麗星球的那些景色。

- [Loren] On May 30th,

- [Loren]5月30日。

two NASA astronauts climbed inside a space capsule

美國國家航空航天局的兩名太空人爬進了太空艙內

and launched on top of a rocket,

並在火箭頂上發射。

en route to the International Space Station.

在前往國際空間站的途中。

- [Woman] Liftoff, as the Falcon 9-

- [女]升空，因為獵鷹9-

- That sounds routine,

- 這聽起來很平常。

but it's actually monumental for two different reasons.

但它實際上是有紀念意義的，有兩個不同的原因。

- On our climb. - For starters,

- 在我們的攀登過程中。- 對於初學者來說。

these are the first two American astronauts

這是前兩名美國太空人

to launch to orbit from American soil

從美國本土發射進入軌道

in nearly a decade.

在近十年中。

And the vehicle they're riding in,

以及他們所乘坐的車輛。

it was commercially made by the company SpaceX, not NASA.

它是由SpaceX公司商業化生產的，不是NASA。

It's a culmination of NASA's Commercial Crew Program,

這是美國宇航局商業乘員計劃的一個高潮。

and the first time a private company

並首次由一傢俬營公司

has ever launched humans to orbit.

曾經發射人類進入軌道。

If the rest of this mission goes well,

如果這次任務的其餘部分進展順利。

it could kickstart a very different era

它可以啟動一個非常不同的時代

of human space flight.

人類太空飛行。

(mellow galactic music)

(醇厚的銀河系音樂)

Inside and out,

內部和外部。

the mission has a very different look

特派團有一個非常不同的外觀

from human launches of the past.

從人類過去的發射。

This is the Crew Dragon, SpaceX's new crew capsule.

這是 "乘龍 "號，SpaceX的新乘員艙。

It's designed specifically to launch

它是專門為發射而設計的

on top of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket

在SpaceX的獵鷹9號火箭頂上

and ferry people to and from low-Earth orbit.

並在低地球軌道上載人。

It's actually a modification

這實際上是一種修改

of the company's Dragon Cargo Capsule.

該公司的龍形貨運艙的。

That's been taking supplies to the ISS for the last decade.

在過去的十年中，它一直在向國際空間站運送物資。

But this one's outfitted with new bells and whistles,

但是，這款產品配備了新的鈴聲和口哨。

life support systems, sleek chairs,

生命支持系統，光滑的椅子。

shiny touchscreen displays.

閃亮的觸摸屏顯示器。

SpaceX has also designed custom pressure suits.

SpaceX還設計了定製的壓力服。

They're meant to keep astronauts protected

它們是為了保護太空人的安全

from the harsh environment of space if there's an emergency,

如果有緊急情況，可以從惡劣的太空環境中獲得。

and they're tailor-made for the needs of the capsule.

而且它們是為膠囊的需要而量身定做的。

Those are actually touchscreen gloves

這些實際上是觸摸屏手套

for the Dragon's modern displays.

為龍的現代顯示。

Finally, the Crew Dragon sports

最後，Crew Dragon運動

a sophisticated docking system that's entirely automatic.

一個複雜的對接系統，是完全自動的。

Using a series of sensors and cameras,

使用一系列的傳感器和攝像頭。

the vehicle can approach the ISS all on its own

飛行器可以完全獨立地接近國際空間站

and latch onto a docking port.

並鎖在一個對接端口上。

(rockets blaring) - All three engines

(火箭彈響起) - 所有三個引擎

up and burning.

了和燃燒。

- [Loren] The last time that Americans launched from the US

- [洛倫]美國人最後一次從美國發射了

was on July 8th, 2011,

是在2011年7月8日。

when Space Shuttle Atlantis took off from Florida

當亞特蘭蒂斯號航天飛機從佛羅里達州起飛時

with a crew of four.

有四名船員。

- [Man] Roger roll, Atlantis.

- [文]收到滾動，亞特蘭蒂斯。

- Since that day, NASA has relied on Russia

- 從那天起，美國宇航局就依靠俄羅斯

to get astronauts to and from

運送太空人往返

the International Space Station.

國際空間站。

It hasn't been the best situation.

這並不是最好的情況。

Russia charges the US around $80 million a seat

俄羅斯向美國收取約8000萬美元一個席位的費用

for a ride on their Soyuz capsule.

乘坐他們的聯盟號太空艙。

And if the Soyuz were to go out of commission,

而如果聯盟號出現故障。

there really isn't a fallback.

真的沒有什麼退路。

The Commercial Crew Program frees NASA

商業載人計劃釋放了美國國家航空航天局

from their reliance on Russia,

從他們對俄羅斯的依賴。

but it's also a new model for spacecraft development.

但它也是一種新的航天器開發模式。

The idea is this:

這個想法是這樣的。

Rather than have the government

而不是讓政府

oversee the production of a new craft,

監督一項新工藝的生產。

why not get the private sector to make the vehicles instead?

為什麼不讓私人部門來製造車輛呢？

Up until now, NASA has had exhaustive input

到目前為止，美國國家航空航天局已經有了詳盡的投入

in vehicle design,

在車輛設計中。

and it's been in charge of production.

並一直負責生產。

Now the commercial companies are in charge of both.

現在，商業公司負責這兩方面的工作。

The government purchases rides on those vehicles

政府購買這些車輛的坐騎

a bit like buying a seat on a plane.

有點像在飛機上買一個座位。

It may sound a bit like the deal with Russia,

這聽起來可能有點像與俄羅斯的交易。

but this time NASA is supporting American business

但這次NASA是在支持美國企業

and bringing human space flight back to US soil,

並將人類太空飛行帶回美國本土。

which our government loves.

這也是我們的政府所喜歡的。

- Of launching American astronauts

- 在發射美國太空人方面

on American rockets from American soil.

在美國本土的美國火箭上。

(crowd cheers)

(人群歡呼)

- All in all, the program was intended

- 總而言之，該計劃的目的是

to light a fire under the commercial space flight industry.

來點燃商業太空飛行業的火焰。

NASA is a partial investor in the Crew Dragon.

美國國家航空航天局是 "乘龍 "號的部分投資者。

And now that it's complete,

而現在，它已經完成了。

SpaceX can use the capsule

SpaceX可以使用該太空艙

to create a new space tourism business.

以創建一個新的太空旅遊業務。

The other goal, in true capitalist fashion,

另一個目標，以真正的資本主義方式。

was to spark competition and lower costs for NASA.

是為了激發競爭，降低NASA的成本。

That's why the agency picked two companies,

這就是為什麼該機構挑選了兩家公司。

SpaceX and Boeing,

SpaceX和波音。

to develop these vehicles.

來開發這些車輛。

It created an intense rivalry between the two,

這在兩人之間形成了激烈的競爭。

but SpaceX got to the finish line first.

但SpaceX首先到達了終點線。

- [Behnken] We're go for launch, let's light this candle.

- [Behnken] We're go for launch, let's light this candle.

- [Loren] In preparation for the mission,

- [Loren]在為任務做準備。

NASA assigned SpaceX its first human passengers,

美國國家航空航天局為SpaceX分配了第一批人類乘客。

astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley.

太空人Bob Behnken和Doug Hurley。

They've been training in simulators

他們一直在模擬器上訓練

at SpaceX Headquarters.

在SpaceX總部。

Last year the company did a dry run with the Crew Dragon,

去年，該公司用 "乘龍 "號做了一次試運行。

launching it to the space station

將其發射到空間站

and docking without a crew on board.

並在船上沒有船員的情況下停靠。

They also tested the capsule's abort system,

他們還測試了該太空艙的中止系統。

designed to carry the spacecraft to safety

旨在將航天器運送到安全地帶

if something went wrong during a launch.

如果在發射過程中出了問題。

But there have been bumps in the road.

但道路上也有顛簸。

(air whooshing) - An explosion rips apart

(空氣嗖嗖聲) - 爆炸撕裂了

SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule.

SpaceX的 "乘龍 "太空艙。

- In 2019, a Crew Dragon capsule exploded

- 在2019年，"乘龍 "號太空艙爆炸了

during a test on the ground,

在地面的測試中。

and couple of SpaceX's Falcon 9s

和幾架SpaceX的獵鷹9號飛機

have blown up within the last few years, too.

在過去的幾年裡，也已經炸開了鍋。

All in all, the mission came together

總而言之，任務完成了

a couple years later than NASA wanted it to,

比NASA希望的晚了幾年。

actually, a couple years and a couple of days.

實際上，有幾年和幾天的時間。

NASA missed their first launch window on May 27th

NASA錯過了5月27日的第一個發射窗口

on account of weather.

由於天氣原因。

- [Man] I don't think we're gonna get there

- 我認為我們不可能到達那裡。

with any of the rules today.

與今天的任何規則。

- But after all that, the launch did come together.

- 但在這一切之後，發佈會確實走到了一起。

So what now?

那麼現在怎麼辦？

Well first, the astronauts need to finish their mission.

那麼首先，太空人需要完成他們的任務。

Bob and Doug will dock with the ISS

鮑勃和道格將與國際空間站對接

and spend a number of weeks on board.

並在船上呆了好幾個星期。

After that, they'll climb back into the Crew Dragon,

之後，他們將重新爬上 "乘龍 "號。

detach from the station,

脫離車站。

and make the perilous journey back to Earth.

並踏上返回地球的危險旅程。

A suite of parachutes will lower them gently

一套降落傘將把他們輕輕地放下

into the ocean,

進入海洋。

where they'll be retrieved by a SpaceX boat.

在那裡，他們將被SpaceX的一艘船收回。

In the long term,

從長期來看。

it's possible that this could become the norm for NASA.

這有可能成為美國航空航天局的常態。

This space agency has standing contracts

這個空間機構有常設合同

with both SpaceX and Boeing

與SpaceX和波音都有合作

for regular flights to the space station,

用於定期飛往空間站。

and they're considering the same contracting method

而且他們正在考慮採用同樣的簽約方式

for a new crude lunar lander.

為一個新的粗製的月球著陸器。

Once again, the companies would build the lander,

再一次，這些公司將建造著陸器。

and NASA would pay to hitch a ride.

和美國國家航空航天局將支付搭便車的費用。

And finally, this launch could bring the dawn

最後，這次發射可能帶來曙光

of space tourism that much closer.

空間旅遊業的發展更加接近。

SpaceX has already promised to send tourists to orbit

SpaceX已經承諾將遊客送入軌道

on its Crew Dragon next year.

明年在其 "乘龍 "號上。

There's even a rumor

甚至有傳言說

that SpaceX will be sending Tom Cruise

SpaceX將發送湯姆-克魯斯

to the space station for a movie.

到空間站看電影。

But will there be a steady stream

但是否會有源源不斷的

of private customers on Crew Dragon?

的私人客戶乘坐乘龍飛船？

That question will be answered in the years ahead.

這個問題將在未來幾年得到解答。

- [Hurley] Yeah, it is absolutely our honor

- [赫爾利]是的，這絕對是我們的榮幸

to be part of this.

要成為其中的一部分。

- Hey everyone, we've been writing

- 大家好，我們一直在寫

a ton about this launch from home

關於這次發射，我在家裡做了大量的工作

because of the pandemic,

因為大流行病的原因。

but if you wanna read more about it,

但如果你想閱讀更多關於它的內容。

head over to TheVerge.com.

請訪問TheVerge.com。

We've got plenty to keep you occupied.

我們有很多東西可以讓你忙起來。