评论
打印
The American space agency NASA says it is seeking a faster, less costly plan to transport Martian rock samples to Earth.
美国航天局NASA表示，它正在寻求一种更快、成本更低的计划，将火星岩石样本运送到地球上。
The search for a new plan comes after an independent review board offered its opinions on the agency's Mars Sample Return program.
在寻找新的计划之前，一个独立的审查委员会就该机构的火星样本返回计划提出了意见。
In addition, NASA has recently faced deep budget cuts that could affect the agency's many science missions.
此外，NASA最近面临着大幅削减预算的问题，这可能会影响该机构的许多科学任务。
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said that results of the independent review had persuaded the agency to reconsider the sample return effort.
NASA局长比尔·纳尔逊表示，独立审查的结果说服了该机构重新考虑样品返还工作。
The goal is to seek ideas and advice from others on how to reduce mission costs and shorten the sample return date.
目标是就如何减少特派团费用和缩短样品返还日期征求其他人的意见和建议。
NASA established the independent review board in May 2023 to closely examine the Mars Sample Return program.
NASA于2023年5月成立了独立审查委员会，以密切审查火星样本返回计划。
The board estimated the total cost of the mission to be between $8 billion and $11 billion.
委员会估计，此次任务的总成本在80亿至110亿美元之间。
The Martian samples would likely not arrive on Earth until 2040.
火星样本可能要到2040年才能到达地球。
NASA had estimated the total mission cost at $5 billion to $7 billion, with the sample return set for the early 2030s.
NASA曾估计这次任务的总成本为50亿至70亿美元，样本返回定于本世纪30年代初。
The review board also said it found the Sample Return mission to be "organized under an unwieldy structure.
审查委员会还表示，他们发现样品返还任务是“在一个笨拙的结构下组织的”。
" Unwieldy describes something that is difficult to deal with because it is large or complex.
“Unwieldy指的是因为太大或太复杂而难以处理的事情。
Recent budget issues at NASA led the agency to cut hundreds of jobs earlier this year at its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in California.
NASA最近的预算问题导致该机构今年早些时候在加州的喷气推进实验室(JPL)裁员数百人。
NASA's Mars exploration teams operate at the JPL.
NASA的火星探测团队在喷气推进实验室工作。
NASA's Perseverance explorer, or rover, has been collecting rock and soil samples around Mars' Jezero Crater area since 2021.
自2021年以来，美国国家航空航天局的毅力探险者，或称漫游者，一直在火星杰零陨石坑地区采集岩石和土壤样本。
NASA officials have said it is important that the samples are brought to Earth for detailed study.
NASA官员表示，将样本带到地球进行详细研究是很重要的。
Scientists say the samples could lead to new evidence about whether life existed on Mars.
科学家们表示，这些样本可能会为火星上是否存在生命提供新的证据。
Perseverance has used its robotic equipment to collect 24 Martian samples so far.
到目前为止，毅力已经使用其机器人设备收集了24个火星样本。
NASA's earlier plan called for the rover to gather 30 samples to be transported to Earth.
美国宇航局早些时候的计划要求火星车收集30个样本，然后将其运送到地球。
The samples are kept inside secure titanium containers to protect them from the severe conditions on Mars.
样本保存在安全的钛容器中，以保护它们免受火星上恶劣条件的影响。
NASA had planned to pick up the materials by sending a spacecraft to Mars.
NASA原本计划通过向火星发射宇宙飞船来获取这些物质。
But the spacecraft would then have to launch from the surface of Mars to join up with another orbiting spacecraft.
但随后，航天器必须从火星表面发射，才能与另一艘轨道航天器会合。
That spacecraft would then bring them to Earth.
然后，这艘宇宙飞船将把它们带到地球上。
The operation would be a joint mission between NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA).
这次行动将是NASA和欧洲航天局(ESA)的联合任务。
NASA chief Nelson said the independent review's cost and target date estimates showed the agency should aim to do better.
NASA负责人纳尔逊说，独立审查的成本和目标日期估计表明，该机构应该致力于做得更好。
NASA has suggested it wants to bring at least some of the samples to Earth sometime in the 2030s for no more than $7 billion.
NASA表示，其希望在本世纪30年代的某个时候将至少部分样本带到地球上，价格不超过70亿美元。
"The bottom line is an $11 billion budget is too expensive, and a 2040 return date is too far away," Nelson said.
“底线是110亿美元的预算太贵了，2040年的回归日期也太遥远了，”纳尔逊说。
He added he has asked private industry experts and other groups within NASA to help come up with other possibilities.
他补充说，他已经请求私人行业专家和NASA内部的其他团体帮助提出其他可能性。
NASA's science mission chief, Nicky Fox, said the search for new solutions would center on "innovation and proven technology," rather than on major new experimental proposals.
NASA的科学任务负责人尼基·福克斯说，寻找新的解决方案的重点将是“创新和成熟的技术”，而不是重大的新实验方案。
Fox did not provide an estimated date for when the samples might arrive on Earth.
福克斯没有提供样本可能到达地球的估计日期。
She said that date, along with any information on the number of samples to be transported, will only be included in future mission proposals.
她说，这一日期以及任何关于要运送的样本数量的信息，只会包括在未来的任务提案中。
"We've never launched from another planet, and that's actually what makes Mars sample return such a challenging and interesting mission," Fox said.
福克斯说：“我们从来没有从另一个星球发射过，这就是为什么火星样本返回是一个具有挑战性和有趣的任务”
Scientists want to closely examine the Mars material in their own laboratories in an effort to confirm any evidence of microscopic life dating back billions of years.
科学家们希望在他们自己的实验室里仔细检查火星物质，以努力证实任何可以追溯到数十亿年前的微观生命的证据。
Strong evidence has already demonstrated that water likely flowed freely in Mars' distant past.
强有力的证据已经证明，在火星遥远的过去，水可能是自由流动的。
NASA officials have said the samples may also help the agency decide where to send astronauts in possible missions to Mars.
NASA官员表示，这些样本还可能帮助该机构决定将宇航员送往哪里执行可能的火星任务。
Nelson expressed hope that the brightest minds at NASA, JPL and private space companies would find the right solution.
纳尔逊表示，希望NASA、喷气推进实验室和私人空间公司的最聪明的人能找到正确的解决方案。
"These are folks who can figure out rather difficult things," he said.
“这些人能解决相当困难的事情，”他说。
I'm Bryan Lynn.
我是布莱恩·林恩。
