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BillStone_2007-_探索世界最深洞穴_
First place I'd like to take you is what many believe will be the world's deepest natural abyss . 我要带大家去的第一个地方 是一个天然的深渊,许多人相信它将会被证明为世界最深之渊。
abyss:n.深渊;深邃,无底洞,地狱;
And I say believe because this process is still ongoing . 我说相信是因为这个探索过程还未结束。
process:v.处理;加工;列队行进;n.过程,进行;方法,adj.经过特殊加工(或处理)的; ongoing:n.发展; adj.持续存在的;
Right now there are major expeditions being planned for next year that I'll talk a little bit about. 明年有几个很大的探险活动正在策划中 关于这个我会做些介绍
expeditions:n.探险(expedition的复数);远征;
One of the things that's changed here, in the last 150 years since Jules Verne had great science-fiction concepts of what the underworld was like, is that technology has enabled us to go to these places that were previously completely unknown and speculated about. 现在,变化之一是 自从儒勒?凡尔纳 在科幻小说里描绘了地底世界的样子后, 在过去的150年里,科技已使我们能够到达一些地方 这些地方是我们先前完全不知且不能想象的。
underworld:n.黑社会;地狱;下层社会;尘世; technology:n.技术;工艺;术语; enabled:v.使得;授予…权力;(enabled是enable的过去式) previously:adv.先前;以前; speculated:v.推测;猜测;推断;投机;做投机买卖;(speculate的过去分词和过去式)
We can now descend thousands of meters into the Earth with relative impunity . 而我们现在能相对安全得深入地球几千米。
descend:vi.下降;下去;下来;遗传;屈尊;vt.下去;沿…向下; relative:adj.相对的;有关系的;成比例的;n.亲戚;相关物;[语]关系词;亲缘植物; impunity:n.不受惩罚;无患;[法]免罚;
Along the way we've discovered fantastic abysses and chambers so large that you can see for hundreds of meters without a break in the line of sight . 沿途我们发现了奇异的深渊和岩洞。 那些岩洞大得异乎寻常, 一眼望去能看到几百米。
fantastic:奇异的,空想的 chambers:n.内庭(chamber的复数); line of sight:视线;视线角;
When you go on a thing like this, we can usually be in the field for anywhere from two to four months, with a team of as small as 20 or 30, to as big as 150. 当我们到了这样的岩洞时,我们经常会在那 待二至四个月, 我们的队伍规模小时二三十人,大时有一百五十人。
And a lot of people ask me, you know, what kind of people do you get for a project like this? 许多人问我 你们选什么样的人参加这样的项目？
And while our selection process is not as rigorous as NASA, it's nonetheless thorough . 我们的筛选过程 不是像NASA(美国航空航天局)那么严格,但它又是周详的。
selection:n.选择;选拔;挑选;被挑选的人(或物); rigorous:adj.严格的,严厉的;严密的;严酷的; nonetheless:adv.尽管如此,但是; thorough:adj.彻底的;十分的;周密的;
we're looking for competence , discipline , endurance , and strength. 我们寻找的是有能力胜任此工作,能严格约束自己,耐力长久而且体力充沛的人。
competence:n.能力,胜任;权限;作证能力;足以过舒适生活的收入; discipline:n.纪律;训练;自制力;风纪;v.训练;管教;惩罚;处罚; endurance:n.忍耐力;忍耐;持久;耐久;
In case you're wondering, this is our strength test. 如果你想知道的话,这是我们的体能测试。
(Laughter) （笑）
But we also value esprit de corps and the ability to diplomatically resolve inter-personal conflict while under great stress in remote locations . 但我们也重视团队精神 和善于解决人际矛盾的能力。 这些能力, 在人们身处僻壤
esprit de corps:n.集体荣誉感;团队精神; diplomatically:adv.在外交上;靠外交途径;圆滑地;婉转地; resolve:vt.决定; vi.解决; n.坚决; conflict:n.冲突;矛盾;争执;抵触;v.抵触; remote:adj.偏远的;偏僻的;遥远的;久远的; locations:n.地方;地点;位置;定位(location的复数)
We have already gone far beyond the limits of human endurance. 压力巨大到远远超过人类耐力极限的时候尤其重要。
From the entrance, this is nothing like a commercial cave. 从洞口看,这绝不像个商业旅游的山洞。
commercial:adj.贸易的;商业的;赢利的;以获利为目的的;n.(电台或电视播放的)广告;
You're looking at Camp Two in a place called J2, not K2, but J2. 你看到的是二号营地,它搭在J2,不是K2(世界第二高峰）,而是J2.
We're roughly two days from the entrance at that point. 在那里我们大约距出口两天路程。
roughly:adv.粗糙地;概略地;
And it's kind of like a high altitude mountaineering trip in reverse , except that you're now running a string of these things down. 它就像一场反方向的高海拔登山之旅, 不同的是你用绳子往下走
altitude:n.海拔;海拔高度;高程;(海拔高的)高处; mountaineering:n.登山;登山运动;爬山;v.登山(mountaineer的ing形式); reverse:n.反面; v.颠倒; adj.相反的; string:n.字符串; v.悬挂; adj.由弦乐器组成的;
The idea is to try to provide some measure of physical comfort while you're down there, otherwise in damp , moist , cold conditions in utterly dark places. 这是让人们在这种地下环境中稍微觉得舒服些 要不然周围就是完全潮湿,寒冷而且漆黑的地方了。
physical:adj.[物]物理的;身体的;物质的;符合自然法则的;n.体格检查; damp:n.潮湿;湿气;湿块;adj.潮湿的;湿气重的;v.弄潮;使潮湿;抑制; moist:adj.潮湿的;多雨的;含泪的;n.潮湿; utterly:adv.完全地;绝对地;全然地;彻底地,十足地;
I should mention that everything you're seeing here, by the way , is artificially illuminated at great effort. 我应该提一下,你在这儿看着的每一件东西 都是费了很大劲儿人为照亮的。
by the way:顺便说一下; artificially:adv.人工地;人为地;不自然地; illuminated:adj.被照明的;v.照明;启发;兴奋(illuminate的过去分词);
Otherwise it is completely dark in these places. 否则,在这些地方全都是黑的。
The deeper you go, the more you run into a conflict with water. 你越深入,就越要费力气抵抗地下水问题。
It's basically like a tree collecting water coming down. 它基本上就像是一棵向下吸水的树。
basically:adv.主要地,基本上;
And eventually you get to places where it is formidable and dangerous and unfortunately slides just don't do justice . 最终你会到达了一个可怕的危险的地方 不幸的是这些幻灯片并不能充分显示（这些地方有多么可怕）。
eventually:adv.最后,终于; formidable:adj.强大的;可怕的;令人敬畏的;艰难的; unfortunately:adv.不幸地; justice:n.公平;公正;司法制度;审判;
So I've got a very brief clip here that was taken in the late 1980s. 所以我找了一个1980年代末拍的小短片。
clip:v.剪辑;修剪;削减;固定;n.夹;夹子;速度;钳;
So descend into Huautla Plateau in Mexico. 这是在墨西哥瓦乌拉特高原。
Plateau:n.高原; n.[地名][肯尼亚,美国]普拉托; n.(活动或进程中的)稳定阶段,停滞时期; adj.高原印第安人的;
(Video) （视频）
Now I have to tell you that the techniques being shown here are obsolete and dangerous. 现在我要提醒你们这里所用的技术 已经过时而且危险。
techniques:n.技巧;技艺;工艺;技术;(technique的复数) obsolete:adj.废弃的;老式的;n.废词;陈腐的人;vt.淘汰;废弃;
We would not do this today unless we were doing it for film. 现今除非是为了拍电影,否则我们不会这样做。
(Laughter) （笑声）
Along that same line, I have to tell you that with the spate of Hollywood movies that came out last year, we have never seen monsters underground -- at least the kind that eat you. 同样地,我还要说 我们在底下从未见过 象去年新出的大量好莱坞电影中的怪兽, 至少没见到吃人的怪兽。
spate:n.洪水;一阵;大雨;突然迸发;
If there is a monster underground, it is the crushing psychological remoteness that begins to hit every member of the team once you cross about three days inbound from the nearest entrance. 如果有地下怪兽, 那一定是心中的能致命的孤寂 一旦你从最近的洞口深入三天, 这种孤寂感就开始侵袭队中的成员
monster:n.怪物;恶魔;庞然大物;adj.巨大的; crushing:adj.惨重的,毁坏性的;v.压碎;压坏;压伤;挤压变形;(crush的现在分词) psychological:adj.心理的;心理学的;精神上的; remoteness:n.遥远;偏僻;细微;时间久远; inbound:adj.入境的;归本国的;回内地的;n.入站;
Next year I'll be leading an international team to J2. 明年我要带领一支国际队伍去J2.
We're going to be shooting from minus 2,600 meters -- that's a little over 8,600 feet down -- at 30 kilometers from the entrance. 我们要从地下2600米处 大约8600多英尺之下--开始拍摄。 那个地方离洞口30千米处。
minus:prep.减,减去;n.负号,减号;不足;负数;adj.减的;负的;
The lead crews will be underground for pushing 30 days straight. 先头部队将会在地下向前不停地推进30天。
I don't think there's been a mission like that in a long time. 我想已经很久没有象这样的探险活动了。
mission:n.使命,任务;代表团;布道;v.派遣;向…传教;
Eventually, if you keep going down in these things, probability says that you're going to run into a place like this. 最后,如果你一直向下深入这些洞穴, 概率上说你很可能进入一个
probability:n.可能性;机率;[数]或然率;
It's a place where there's a fold in the geologic stratum that collects water and fills to the roof. 有褶皱的 充满水的地方
fold:v.折叠;包;可叠平(以便贮存或携带);裹;n.褶;褶层;折叠部分;褶痕; geologic:adj.地质的;地质学上的; stratum:n.(组织的)层;[地质]地层;社会阶层;
And when you used to find these things, they would put a label on a map that said terminal siphon . 当以前找这些地方时 人们会在地图上标注其为吸管终端。
put a label on:扣帽子; terminal:n.终端;航站楼;终端机;航空终点站;adj.晚期的;不治的;致命的;患绝症的; siphon:n.虹吸管;vi.通过虹吸管;vt.用虹吸管吸出;抽取;
Now I remember that term really well for two reasons. 这个词我记得很清楚。因为有两个原因
Number one, it's the name of my rock band , and second, is because the confrontation of these things forced me to become an inventor. 第一,它是我摇滚乐队的名字,第二, 是因为这些地方的挑战 迫使我变成了一个发明者。
band:n.带;波段;频带;箍;v.加彩条(或嵌条等);(将价格、收入等)划分档次; confrontation:n.对抗;面对;对质;
And we've since gone on to develop many generations of gadgets for exploring places like this. 而且从那以后,我们研发了好几代 许多用于探索类似地方的小仪器。
gadgets:n.小配件;小工具(gadget的复数); exploring:v.探索:考察:探查;(explore的现在分词)
This is some life-support equipment closed-cycle -- and you can use that now to go for many kilometers horizontally underwater and to depths of 200 meters straight down underwater. 这是某种闭合的维持生命的仪器 你现在可以用它在水下水平前行几千米 其应用范围深至水下200米处。
life-support:adj.保障生命的,维持生命的; horizontally:adv.水平地;地平地; underwater:adj.在水中的;水面下的;adv.在水下;n.水下;
When you do this kind of stuff , it's like doing EVA, it's like doing extra-vehicular activity in space, but at much greater distances, and at much greater physical peril . 当你在水下行走时,感觉有点儿像EVA(太空行走), 像是进行太空行走, 但是要走的更远,冒的风险也更大。
stuff:n.东西:物品:基本特征:v.填满:装满:标本: peril:n.危险;冒险;vt.危及;置…于险境;
So it makes you think about how to design your equipment for long range away from a safe haven . 这让你想办法如何设计你的器械 使它安全地走得更远。
safe haven:n.安全的地方;避难所;
Here's a clip from a National Geographic movie that came out in 1999. 这是国家地理电影1999年拍的 一些片段
Geographic:adj.地理的;地理学的;
(Video) Narrator : Exploration is a physical process of putting your foot in places where humans have never stepped before. （视频）旁白:探索是一个物理过程 它让你涉足人类从未涉及的地方。
Narrator:n.讲述者;(电视节目中的)幕后解说员;旁白员; Exploration:n.探索;勘探;探险;[医]探查术;
This is where the last little nugget of totally unknown territory remains on this planet. 这是地球上完全不为人知的最后一点儿金地。
nugget:n.天然金块,矿块;珍闻,珍品; territory:n.领土,领域;范围;地域;版图;
To experience it is a privilege . 只有极少的人能够亲历。
privilege:n.特权;优待;v.给与…特权;特免;
Bill Stone: That was taken in Wakulla Springs, Florida. 比尔?斯通:那电影取景于佛罗里达的瓦库拉泉。
Couple of things to note about that movie: every piece of equipment that you saw in there did not exist before 1999. 这部电影有几件事值得注意:你所见的每种设备 1999年前都不存在。
It was developed within a two-year period and used on actual exploratory projects. 它们是在两年内发明的,并且用于实际探索项目。
exploratory:adj.勘探的;探究的;考察的;
This gadget you see right here was called the digital wall mapper -- and it produced the first three-dimensional map anybody has ever done of a cave, and it happened to be underwater in Wakulla Springs. 你们在这里见到的这个是电子墙体测绘仪-- 它制出了世界上第一个山洞的三维地图, 那是在瓦库拉泉水下
digital:adj.数字的;手指的;n.数字;键; mapper:n.映射;制图人;字体映射程序; three-dimensional:adj.三维的;立体的;真实的;
It was that gadget that serendipitously opened a door to another unexplored world. 正是这小仪器不经意地开启了 通往另一个世界的门。
unexplored:adj.[地质]未勘查过的;
This is Europa . 这是木卫二。
Europa:n.欧罗巴(腓尼基王阿革诺耳之女);[天]木卫二;
Carolyn Porco mentioned another one called Enceladus the other day . 卡罗琳?波科尔前几天提到另一个叫做恩克拉多斯的行星。
the other day:不久前某一天;几天以前;
This is one of the places where planetary scientists believe there is a highest probability of the detection of the first life off earth in the ocean that exists below there. 研究行星的科学家 相信那里是最有可能探索到 有地球之外的初级生命的地方之一,生命就存在在恩克拉多斯行星的大洋之下。
planetary:adj.行星的; detection:n.侦查,探测;发觉,发现;察觉;
For those who have never seen this story, 对于那些从未看过这个故事的人来说,
Jim Cameron produced a really wonderful IMAX movie couple of years ago, called "Aliens of the Deep." 几年前吉姆?卡梅隆（泰坦尼克,阿凡达导演）拍出过精彩的IMAX(巨幕)电影 名叫《深海异形》
IMAX:n.IMAX超大银幕技术;艾麦克斯影院;
There was a brief clip -- 这是片中的一个小片段--
(Video) Narrator: A mission to explore under the ice of Europa would be the ultimate robotic challenge. （视频）旁白:探索木卫二冰底的任务 将会成为机器人的终极挑战。
ultimate:adj.最终的;极限的;根本的;n.终极;根本;基本原则; robotic:adj.机器人的,像机器人的;自动的;n.机器人学;
Europa is so far away that even at the speed of light, it would take more than an hour for the command just to reach the vehicle . 木卫二很远,即使用光速 指令到达飞行器也要花一个多小时。
vehicle:n.[车辆]车辆;工具;交通工具;运载工具;传播媒介;媒介物;
It has to be smart enough to avoid terrain hazards , and to find a good landing site on the ice. 必须非常聪明才能避免各种冒险 找到一个好的冰面降落
terrain:n.[地理]地形,地势;领域;地带; hazards:n.危害;[安全]危险;障碍(hazard的复数);v.使冒危险;赌(hazard的三单形式); site:n.地点;位置;场所;v.设置;为…选址;
Now we have to get through the ice. 现在我们还得穿过冰层。
You need a melt probe . 需要一个融化器。
melt:v.融化;(使)软化; probe:n.探针;调查;vi.调查;探测;vt.探查;用探针探测;
It's basically a nuclear-heated torpedo . 它基本上就是一个核能加热鱼雷。
torpedo:n.鱼雷;v.用鱼雷袭击(或击沉);彻底破坏,完全摧毁;
The ice could be anywhere from three to 16 miles deep. 冰层可能有3至16英里 (5 到 26 公里）深。
Week after week, the melt probe will sink of its own weight through the ancient ice, until finally .... 一周接一周,融化探头靠着自身重量下沉 穿过远古的冰层,直至最后……
finally:adv.终于;最终;(用于列举)最后;彻底地;
Now, what are you going to do when you reach the surface of that ocean? 当你到达洋面你将要做什么？
You need an AUV, an autonomous underwater vehicle. 你需要个AUV,一个自行式水下航行器。
autonomous:adj.自治的;自主的;自发的;
It needs to be one smart puppy , able to navigate and make decisions on its own in an alien ocean. 它必须很聪明,能够自己导航 在陌生的外星球的大洋里能够自己做决定。
puppy:n.小狗;幼犬;傲慢小子;自负无礼的青年 navigate:vt.驾驶,操纵;使通过;航行于;vi.航行,航空;
BS: What Jim didn't know when he released that movie was that six months earlier NASA had funded a team I assembled to develop a prototype for the Europa AUV. 比尔?斯通:吉姆公映这部电影时并不知道 六个月前NASA(美国宇航局)已拨款给我集合的一个团队 去研发木卫二自行式水下航行器的原型。
released:v.释放;使免除;已发布;(release的过去分词和过去式) funded:adj.提供资金的;v.提供资金;积存;提供资金偿付的本息;(fund的过去式); assembled:v.聚集;集合;收集;装配;组装;(assemble的过去分词和过去式) prototype:n.原型;雏形;最初形态;
I mean, I cut through three years of engineering meetings, design and system integration , and introduced DEPTHX -- 我花了三年的工程会议,设计 和系统整合,设计了DEPTHX--
engineering:n.工程;工程学;v.密谋策划;设计制造;改变…的基因;(engineer的现在分词) integration:n.集成;综合;
Deep Phreatic Thermal Explorer . 深水热源探索仪。
Thermal:adj.热的;热量的;保热的;n.上升的热气流; Explorer:n.探险者;勘探者;考察者;
And as the movie says, this is one smart puppy. 就像电影描述的,这是一个灵敏的小东西
It's got 96 sensors , 36 onboard computers, 100,000 lines of behavioral autonomy code, packs more than 10 kilos of TNT in electrical onboard equivalent . 它有96个传感器,36台车携式电脑 十万条自主行为指令, 携带着十多公斤的炸药。
sensors:n.[自]传感器,感应器;感测器(sensor的复数); onboard:adv.在船上;在飞机上;在板上;adj.随车携带的; behavioral:adj.行为的; autonomy:n.自治,自治权; electrical:adj.有关电的;电气科学的; equivalent:adj.等价的,相等的;同意义的;n.等价物,相等物;
This is the target site, the world's deepest hydrothermal spring at Cenote Zacaton in northern Mexico. 这是目的地, 墨西哥北部萨卡通石灰岩洞的世界最深温泉。
hydrothermal:adj.[地质]热液的;热水的; Cenote:n.天然井;
It's been explored to a depth of 292 meters and beyond that nobody knows anything. 有人曾经探索到292米深处。 再深就没人知道是什么样了。
This is part of DEPTHX's mission. 探索它是深水热源探测仪的任务之一。
There's two primary targets we're doing here. 我们有两个正在研究的主要方向。
One is, how do you do science autonomy underground? 一个是如何在地下自动地做科学实验？
How do you take a robot and turn it into a field microbiologist ? 如何将机器人变成野外工作的生物学家？
microbiologist:n.微生物学家;
There's more stages involved here than I've got time to tell you about, but basically we drive through the space, we populate it with environmental variables -- sulphide , halide , things like that. 这个有更多的步骤 可惜我没有足够的时间细述,但是基本上我们操纵机器人 穿过这个空间,我们让它探测环境变量-- 硫化物,卤化物,这样的东西。
involved:adj.有关的; v.涉及; (involve的过去式和过去分词) populate:vt.居住于;构成人口;移民于;殖民于; variables:n.[数]变量; sulphide:n.硫化物; halide:adj.卤化物的;n.卤化物;
We calculate gradient surfaces, and drive the bot over to a wall where there's a high probability of life. 我们计算倾斜的表面,操纵机器人爬上墙体 那里很有可能存在生命。
gradient:n.[数][物]梯度;坡度;倾斜度;adj.倾斜的;步行的;
We move along the wall, in what's called proximity operations, looking for changes in color. 我们沿墙移动,这就是所谓的近距离操做 寻找颜色的变化。
proximity:n.接近,[数]邻近;接近;接近度,距离;亲近;
If we see something that looks interesting, we pull it into a microscope . 如果我们遇到什么有趣的东西,我们把它放到显微镜下。
microscope:n.显微镜;
If it passes the microscopic test, we go for a collection. 如果它通过了显微镜测试,我们就收集样本。
microscopic:adj.微观的;用显微镜可见的;
We either draw in a liquid sample, or we can actually take a solid core from the wall. 我们收集液体样本, 或者我们从墙体上直接采集固体岩芯标本。
core:n.核心;要点;果心;[计]磁心;vt.挖...的核;
No hands at the wheel . 这一过程无需人来遥控
at the wheel:在驾驶;掌舵;指挥;
This is all behavioral autonomy here that's being conducted by the robot on its own. 这全都由机器人 自己执行。
conducted:v.组织;安排;实施;执行;指挥;带领;引导;(conduct的过去分词和过去式)
The real hat trick for this vehicle, though, is a disruptive new navigation system we've developed, known as 3D SLAM , for simultaneous localization and mapping. 这台机器最大的创新 是一种我们研发的与众不同的导航系统, 被称作3D SLAM, 用于同时定位和画图。
disruptive:adj.破坏的;分裂性的;制造混乱的; navigation:n.导航;航行;领航; SLAM:v.(使…)砰地关上; n.猛关(或推,摔,撞等); simultaneous:adj.同时的;联立的;同时发生的;n.同时译员; localization:n.[计]定位;局限;地方化;
DEPTHX is an all-seeing eyeball . 深水热源探测仪是一种全视角眼球。
eyeball:n.眼球;眼珠;v.瞪着;逼视;盯住
Its sensor beams look both forward and backward at the same time , allowing it to do new exploration while it's still achieving geometric sensor-lock on what it's gone through already. 它的感应光源可以同时向前向后, 允许它做新的探索 同时它能将感应到的它所经过的地方地 几何图形锁定。
beams:[建]梁; backward:adj.向后的;反向的;发展迟缓的;adv.向后地;相反地; at the same time:同时;另一方面;与此同时; geometric:adj.几何学的;[数]几何学图形的;
What I'm going to show you next is the first fully autonomous robotic exploration underground that's ever been done. 我接下来要给你展示的 是有史以来第一个 全自动地下探索机器人
This May, we're going to go from minus 1,000 meters in Zacaton, and if we're very lucky, DEPTHX will bring back the first robotically-discovered division of bacteria . 今年五月,我们准备从扎卡顿地下一千米处出发, 如果我们幸运,深水热源探测仪将会带回第一个 机器人独立发现的细菌切片。
division:n.师;分配;分开;分歧; bacteria:n.[微]细菌;
The next step after that is to test it in Antartica, and then if the funding continues and NASA has the resolution to go, we could potentially launch by 2016, and by 2019 we may have the first evidence of life off this planet. 那之后的第二步是在南极洲对它做测试,然后 如果资金许可,并且美国宇航局有决心, 我们可能在2016年前开始实施（探索外星）计划,在2019年 我们有可能得到证明地球外的生命存在第一个证据,
funding:n.基金;资金;提供资金;v.为…提供资金;拨款给;(fund的现在分词) resolution:n.解决;分辨;解析;决议; potentially:adv.可能地,潜在地; launch:v.发射(导弹,火箭等); n.发射; evidence:n.证据,证明;迹象;明显;v.证明;
What then of manned space exploration? 那载人的空间探索呢？
The government recently announced plans to return to the moon by 2024. 美国政府最近宣布了2024重返月球的计划。
recently:adv.最近;新近;
The successful conclusion of that mission will result in infrequent visitation of the moon by a small number of government scientists and pilots. 这项任务的成功将使少数的 政府雇佣的科学家和飞行员 的探访月球活动
conclusion:n.结论;结局;推论; infrequent:adj.罕见的;稀少的;珍贵的;不频发的; visitation:n.访问;探视;视察;正式访问;
It will leave us no further along in the general expansion of humanity into space than we were 50 years ago. 和五十年前相比,从人类探索宇宙的整体来看, 并没有什么起步
in the general:通常,一般; expansion:n.扩张;膨胀;扩展;扩大; humanity:n.人类;人道;仁慈;人文学科;
Something fundamental has to change, if we are to see common access o space in our lifetime. 如果我们想要在有生之年让太空飞行变得习以为然 必须有根本的改变,
fundamental:n.基础; adj.十分重大的;
What I'm going to show you next are a couple of controversial ideas. 我下面要展示的是一些有争论的观点。
controversial:adj.有争议的;有争论的;
And I hope you'll bear with me and have some faith that there's credibility behind what we're going to say here. 我希望大家耐心听我讲并且相信 我们这里所说的是确实可信的。
faith:n.信心;信任;宗教信仰; credibility:n.可信性;确实性;
There are three underpinnings of working in space privately . 私人探索太空工作有三大支柱。
underpinnings:n.基础;[矿业]支柱(underpinning的复数形式); privately:adv.私下地;秘密地;
One of them is the requirement for economical earth-to-space transport . 其一是 经济的地球到太空的交通运输
economical:adj.经济的;节约的;合算的; transport:n.运输;输送;运送;运输机;v.输送;传播;使产生身临其境的感觉;(旧时)流放;
The Bert Rutans and Richard Bransons of this world have got this in their sights and I salute them. 创业家们象伯特?鲁坦斯和理查德?布兰特（维珍航空公司的创始人） 已经开始在这方面努力,我向他们致敬。
salute:n.致敬,欢迎;敬礼;v.行礼致敬,欢迎;致意,打招呼;行礼;
Go, go, go. 加油,加油,加油
The next thing we need are places to stay on orbit . 我们需要的另一件事是轨道上的停留处。
orbit:n.轨道;眼眶;势力范围;生活常规;vi.盘旋;绕轨道运行;vt.绕…轨道而行;
Orbital hotels to start with, but workshops for the rest of us later on. 先以做太空酒店（旅游业）开始,之后可以我们的工作站。
Orbital:adj.轨道的;眼窝的; workshops:n.工作坊,[工业]车间;研习会,讲习班(workshop的复数形式);
The final missing piece, the real paradigm-buster, is this: a gas station on orbit. 最后一点,真正能扭转乾坤的是: 太空轨道加油站。
gas station:n.(汽车)加油站;
It's not going to look like that. 它不会是图上这样的。
If it existed, it would change all future spacecraft design and space mission planning. 如果它存在,它会改变所有未来宇宙飞船和宇宙空间探索计划的设计。
spacecraft:n.[宇]宇宙飞船;航天器;
Now, to give you a chance to understand why there is power in that statement , 现在,为了让大家明白 此断言的分量
statement:n.声明;陈述,叙述;报表,清单;
I've got to give you the basics of Space 101. 我要教大家一点儿太空基础知识。
And the first thing is everything you do in space you pay by the kilogram. 首先,你要为在太空里所做的每一件事情按千克付费。
Anybody drink one of these here this week? 有人这周喝过一杯这个吗？
You'd pay 10,000 dollars for that in orbit. 在轨道上你要为其支付一万美元。
That's more than you pay for TED, if Google dropped their sponsorship . 那比你要参加TED支付的费用还要多, 如果谷歌撤销他们的赞助的话。
Google:谷歌;谷歌搜索引擎; sponsorship:n.赞助;发起;保证人的地位;教父母身份;
(Laughter) （笑）
The second is more than 90 percent of the weight of a vehicle is in propellant . 其次,推进剂占百分之九十多的飞船重量。
propellant:n.推进物;推进燃料;发射火药;adj.推进的;
Thus, every time you'd want to do anything in space, you are literally blowing away enormous sums of money every time you hit the accelerator . 因此,每次你想要在宇宙空间里做任何事, 每次你踩加速器时, 你就是在大笔地烧钱
literally:adv.按字面:字面上:确实地: enormous:adj.庞大的,巨大的;凶暴的,极恶的; sums:n.算术题;总数;全部;v.归纳;总计;(sum的第三人称单数和复数) accelerator:n.油门;催化剂;[机]加速装置;
Not even the guys at Tesla can fight that physics. 即使是做Tesla(极品电动跑车)的家伙们也没法战胜那个物理现象。
So, what if you could get your gas at a 10th the price? 所以,如果你能都以十分之一的价钱得到燃料会怎样？
what if:如果…怎么办?
There is a place where you can. 有个地方可以让你这样做。
In fact, you can get it better -- you can get it at 14 times lower if you can find propellant on the moon. 事实上,可以更便宜--你能以十四分之一的价格得到 如果你能够在月球上发现推进剂的话。
There is a little-known mission that was launched by the Pentagon 13 years ago now, called Clementine . 美国国防部13年展开了一个鲜为人知的, 称为克莱门汀的计划。
little-known:鲜为人知的; launched:v.发射;发起;开展;开始;(launch的过去式和过去分词) Pentagon:n.五角形; Clementine:n.克莱门氏小柑橘(为柑橘与酸柑杂交的品种);
And the most amazing thing that came out of that mission was a strong hydrogen signature at Shackleton crater on the south pole of the moon. 这项计划最令人称奇的发现 是在月球的南极沙克尔顿环形山 探测到很强的氢气信号
hydrogen:n.氢;氢气; signature:n.署名;签名;信号; crater:n.火山口;弹坑;弧坑;[天文学]巨爵座;v.(使)成坑状; south pole:n.南极;
That signal was so strong, it could only have been produced by 10 trillion tons of water buried in the sediment , collected over millions and billions of years by the impact of asteroids and comet material. 那信号非常强, 只有沉淀地下的10万亿吨水才能生成它, 那水是成百上千万年 小行星和彗星撞击遗留物汇聚而成
trillion:n.[数]万亿;adj.万亿的;num.[数]万亿; sediment:n.沉积;沉淀物; impact:n.影响;效果;碰撞;冲击力;v.挤入,压紧;撞击;对…产生影响; asteroids:n.[天]小行星(asteroid的复数); comet:n.[天]彗星;
If we're going to get that, and make that gas station possible, we have to figure out ways to move large volumes of payload through space. 如果我们要用这水使加油站的建造成为可能的话 我们必须找到在在太空中移动大量物资的方法。
volumes:n.卷;体积;容积;大量;(volumes是volume的复数) payload:n.(导弹,火箭等的)有效载荷,有效负荷; (工厂,企业等)工资负担;
We can't do that right now. 我们现在还做不到。
The way you normally build a system right now is you have a tube stack that has to be launched from the ground, and resist all kinds of aerodynamic forces. 人们现在的做法是从地球 使用多级火箭 这种方法需要克服各种空气动力效应。
normally:adv.正常地;通常地,一般地; stack:n.堆栈;一摞;大量;许多;v.(使)放成整齐的一叠(或一摞,一堆); resist:v.抵制;阻挡;反抗;回击;抵抗;忍住;n.防染剂;防蚀用涂料;防腐剂; aerodynamic:adj.空气动力学的,[航]航空动力学的;
We have to beat that. 我们必须克服它。
We can do it because in space there are no aerodynamics . 我们能够这样做是因为太空里没有空气阻力。
aerodynamics:n.[流]气体力学;[航]航空动力学;
We can go and use inflatable systems for almost everything. 我们几乎总是能够使用充气系统。
inflatable:adj.膨胀的,可充气的;得意的;
This is an idea that, again, came out of Livermore back in 1989, with Dr. Lowell Wood's group. 这个设想又是出自1989年在利弗莫尔 洛厄尔伍德教授领导的团队。
And we can extend that now to just about everything. 我们现在可以把它扩展到几乎每个其他领域。
extend:vt.延伸; vi.延伸;
Bob Bigelow currently has a test article in the orbit. 鲍勃?比奇洛目前正在太空轨道上检测一个这样的装置。
currently:adv.当前;一般地;
We can go much further. 我们可以更近一步
We can build space tugs , orbiting platforms for holding cryogens and water. 我们可以建立太空拖船,装载冷冻机和水的轨道平台。
tugs:拖船;拽; orbiting:v.[航][天]轨道运行;轨道运动;转圈(orbit的ing形式); platforms:n.平台; v.把…放在台上;
There's another thing. 还有另一件事情。
When you're coming back from the moon, you have to deal with orbital mechanics . 当你从月球回来时, 轨道力学告诉我们
mechanics:n.机械师;机械修理工;技工;力学;机械学;(mechanic的复数)
It says you're moving 10,000 feet per second faster than you really want to be to get back to your gas station. 你需要减每秒10000英尺的速度 慢到回加油站时所需的速度。
You got two choices. 你有两个选择。
You can burn rocket fuel to get there, or you can do something really incredible . 你可以燃烧火箭燃料,或者你可以做些很不可思议的事情。
incredible:adj.难以置信的,惊人的;
You can dive into the stratosphere , and precisely dissipate that velocity , and come back out to the space station . 你可以扎入平流层, 恰好抵消高速,再回到空间站。
dive:n.潜水;跳水;俯冲;猛冲;v.猛冲;(头朝下)跳入水中;[体]跳水(运动); stratosphere:n.同温层;最上层;最高阶段; dissipate:v.消散;驱散;(使)消失;挥霍;浪费;消磨; velocity:n.[物]速度; space station:n.太空站;航天站;宇宙空间站;
It has never been done. 此举从未有人做过。
It's risky and it's going to be one hell of a ride -- better than Disney . 这很冒险,会比迪士尼的过山车 还惊险
Disney:n.迪斯尼(美国动画影片制作家及制片人);
The traditional approach to space exploration has been that you carry all the fuel you need to get everybody back in case of an emergency . 传统的太空探索方法 是你载着所有所需燃料 燃料足够确保每个人安全往返并且能应对紧急状况。
traditional:传统的,惯例的, approach:n.方法;路径;v.接近;建议;着手处理; emergency:n.紧急情况;突发事件;非常时刻;adj.紧急的;备用的;
If you try to do that for the moon, you're going to burn a billion dollars in fuel alone sending a crew out there. 如果你试着为了登月这么做, 送出一名宇航员光燃料就要花费十亿美元。
But if you send a mining team there, without the return propellant, first -- 但是如果你派遣一支采矿小队到那里, 前提是不带返程燃料--
(Laughter) （笑）
Did any of you guys hear the story of Cortez? 有人听过科尔特兹的故事吗？
This is not like that. I'm much more like Scotty . 这不像那个故事。我更像是司各特。
Scotty:n.苏格兰狗(等于Scottie);
I like this equipment, you know, and I really value it so we're not going to burn the gear . 我喜欢推进剂,我真的很看重它 所以我们不准备烧掉它。
gear:n.齿轮; v.适合;
But, if you were truly bold you could get it there, manufacture it, and it would be the most dramatic demonstration that you could do something worthwhile off this planet that has ever been done. 但是,如果你真的很大胆你可以在那里（月球上）得到并制造它, 而且这会变成最激动人心的演示 证明你离开地球也能做一些前所未有的 有价值的事情。
bold:adj.大胆的,英勇的;黑体的;厚颜无耻的;险峻的; manufacture:v.(用机器)大量生产; n.大量制造; dramatic:adj.突然的;巨大的;令人吃惊的;激动人心的; demonstration:n.示范;演示;论证;证明; worthwhile:adj.值得做的,值得花时间的;
There's a myth that you can't do anything in space for less than a trillion dollars and 20 years. 人们都说没有亿万美元和20年时间的话 在太空里不可能做成任何事情。
myth:n.神话;虚构的人,虚构的事;
That's not true. 这是错的。
In seven years, we could pull off an industrial mission to Shackleton, and demonstrate that you could provide commercial reality out of this in low-earth orbit. 七年之内,我们能够胜利完成 一项去沙克尔顿（有水的月球环形山）的工业计划 显示人类能利用月球能源在近地轨道上提供商业活动
industrial:adj.工业的,产业的; n.工业股票; demonstrate:vt.证明;展示;论证;vi.示威;
We're living in one of the most exciting times in history. 我们正处在人类历史上最令人兴奋的时代之一。
We're at a magical confluence where private wealth and imagination are driving the demand for access to space. 我们处在一个魔幻般的交汇口,这里个人财富 和想象力正推动着人们进入太空的需求。
confluence:n.(河流的)汇合,汇流点;(人或物的)聚集; wealth:n.财富;大量;富有; imagination:n.想象;想象力;创造力;想象的事物;
The orbital refueling stations I've just described could create an entirely new industry and provide the final key for opening space to the general exploration. 我刚才描述的太空轨道加油站 能够创建一种全新的工业而且提供一把 开启全面探索太空之门的钥匙。
refueling:n.再加燃料;再加油;v.给…再加燃料(refuel的ing形式); described:v.描述;形容;把…称为;做…运动;(describe的过去分词和过去式)
To bust the paradigm , a radically different approach is needed. 打破固有模式需要一种全新的方法。
bust:n.(石或金属的)半身像; v.打破; adj.破碎; paradigm:n.范例;词形变化表; radically:adv.根本上;彻底地;以激进的方式;
We can do it by jump-starting with an industrial 我们可以发起一次象路易斯和克拉克穿越美国一样具有历史意义的
jump-starting:n.借火;起动;v.起动(jump-start的ing形式);
Lewis and Clark expedition to Shackleton crater, to mine the moon for resources , and demonstrate they can form the basis for a profitable business on orbit. 对沙克尔顿环形山的工业探索, 以开采月球资源,证明 它们可以成为在轨道上可盈利的商业活动的基础。
resources:n.[计][环境]资源; v.向…提供资金(resource的第三人称单数); profitable:adj.有利可图的;赚钱的;有益的;
Talk about space always seems to be hung on ambiguities of purpose and timing. 当人们讨论太空探险时,似乎总是故意把目的和时限 定得模模糊糊
ambiguities:歧义;模棱两可;
I would like to close here by putting a stake in the sand at TED. 作为结束,我现在就在TED作出承诺
stake:n.桩,棍子;赌注;火刑;奖金;v.资助,支持;系…于桩上;把…押下打赌;
I intend to lead that expedition. 我志在领导这项太空远征。
intend:v.打算;计划;想要;
(Applause) (掌声)
It can be done in seven years with the right backing. 有合适的支持,这件事可以在七年内完成。
Those who join me in making it happen will become a part of history and join other bold individuals from time past who, had they been here today, would have heartily approved . 加入我完成此事的人将会 和那些历史上其他用于探索的人一起,永垂史册 他们今天如果在这里,也定会诚心赞同。
individuals:n.[经]个人;[生物]个体(individual的复数); heartily:adv.衷心地;热忱地;痛快地; approved:adj.被正式接受的,被正式认可的; v.赞成; (approve的过去分词和过去式)
There was once a time when people did bold things to open the frontier. 人们曾经勇敢地开启边疆之门。
We have collectively forgotten that lesson. 我们做为一个整体已忘记那一课。
collectively:adv.共同地,全体地;
Now we're at a time when boldness is required to move forward. 100年前欧内斯特沙克尔顿先生（英国南极探险家）说过“我们需要的是胆气才能前进”,
boldness:n.大胆;冒失;显著;
100 years after Sir Ernest Shackleton wrote these words, 现在也是一样
I intend to plant an industrial flag on the moon and complete the final piece that will open the space frontier, in our time, for all of us. 我要在月球表面插一面工业的旗帜 在我们的时代,为我们所有人, 完成将会开启航天边疆之门的最后一项任务
Thank you. 谢谢。
(Applause) 掌声