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For these engines to be used in space one day,
这些引擎将来要在太空中使用，
testing is critical, and these labs are uniquely equipped for the challenge.
测试是至关重要的，这些实验室都有独特的设备来应对这一挑战。
“Sitting behind me is what's called ‘The Large Vacuum Test Facility’ the LVTF.
“我身后的就是所谓的‘大型真空测试设备’，简称LVTF。
It has one of the highest pumping speeds in the world,
它的泵速在全世界都是处于领先水平的，
which means it's able to have a very low pressure while it's operating a large flow rate.
也就是说，它能在压力很低的状态下处理很大的粒子流流量。
And we use it to simulate space.
我们就用它来模拟太空。
We have 19 cryogenic pumps, that remove all the air and all the gasses from the chamber
我们有19个低温泵，可以把舱内的空气和气体全部抽走，
so we can have a more realistic environment to test these thrusters.
这样，测试这些推进器的环境就能接接近真实情况。
Students run experimental campaigns in the LVTF.
学生们会在LVTF里开展实验活动。
One student might be trying to analyze the life of a thruster.
一个学生可能想分析推进器的寿命。
Another person might be trying to understand how the electrons from the cathode make their way to the channel.
另一个可能想弄清楚电子是如何从阴极进入通道的。
A successful test is often when you find something unexpected that ultimately leads you to having a better understanding of the device you're testing.
成功的测试通常是你在测试中发现了一些意想不到的东西，最终促使你更好地理解你正在测试的设备的时候。
And that happens quite a bit.”
这种情况还是挺多的。”
But the X3 is too powerful for even the LVTF,
然而，就算是用LVTF测试，X3也还是太强大了，
and at this point, only NASA’s Glenn Research facility can handle its testing at full capacity.
这时，就只有NASA的格伦研究中心的设备能应付X3推进系统满载运行的测试。
“A typical thruster may weigh 10 pounds, this thing weighs 500 pounds.
“标准的推进器的重量可能是10磅，而这个东西的重量是500磅。
So just designing and building all the components of this mega-scale thruster was a challenge that we took on.
所以，要设计和制造如此巨大的推进器的所有部件就已经是一个挑战了。
Last year was a blockbuster year for the X3. It set three records.
去年是X3一鸣惊人的一年，因为它一连创下了三个记录。
It set the records for Hall thrusters for the highest power level at over 100 kilowatts of power.
它以超过100千瓦的功率创造了霍尔推进器的最高功率记录。
The highest level of thrust and actually the highest amount of current being passed through any type of Hall current thruster.”
还创造了最大推力的记录以及通过任何一种霍尔电流推进器产生的最大电流的记录。"
These engineering achievements are key, because electric propulsion is going to be a central part of our future in space.
这些工程方面的成就都是至关重要的，因为电力推进将成为我们未来太空生活的一个核心部分。
“NASA is working on developing a sort of a 20 year game plan.
“NASA现在正在制定一个20年的游戏计划之类的东西。
The idea is that we've been in the International Space Station now for more than a decade.
想的是我们已经在国际空间站上停留了十多年了。
But the next step would be something like a space station around the Moon.
下一步应该是研发环绕月球的空间站之类的东西了。
We would have an outpost around lunar orbit to test new technologies that would be needed to have humans live in space.
我们将在月球轨道周围建立一个前哨站，测试人类在太空生活所需的新技术。
Hall thrusters are playing a really important role in this...
霍尔推进器将在其中扮演非常重要的角色。
it's baseline is to have a bank of four Hall effect thrusters around
它的基准是由四个霍尔效应推进器组成，
because they want to be able to move around this space station
因为他们需要能够在空间站周围移动
and actually demonstrate the ability to use electric propulsion of this kind with a human attended spacecraft.”
展示在载人飞船上使用这种电力推进的能力。”
The X3 is likely two incarnations away from being flight ready,
X3可能还要升级两次才能达到可以进入太空的状态，
but the work happening here is all about demonstrating new principles for how to design electro-propulsion engines.
但是这个实验室所做的工作都是为了展示设计电力推进系统的新原理。
Ultimately, inter-planet transit will use a combination of chemical and electric propulsion.
最终，星际旅行将会依靠化学和电力推进相结合的系统来实现。
And it’s projects like the X3 that make a future mission to Mars even more possible.
使未来登陆火星的任务变得更加可能的就是X3这样的项目。
For more science documentaries, check out this one right here, don't forget to subscribe and keep coming back to Seeker for more videos.
想看更多的科学纪录片，请点击这里，不要忘记订阅，继续回来观看栏目更多视频噢。
