The incredible collaboration behind the International Space Station - Tien Nguyen

翻译人员: Yunxi Shi 校对人员: Pin Yin

Have you ever been gazing at a starry sky

当你凝望璀璨的星空时，

when suddenly a bright dot glided into view?

是否见过一个亮点划过视线？

If it wasn't blinking, then you've had the distinct pleasure

若是这个亮点没有不停的闪烁，那么你太走运了，

of seeing one of mankind's greatest collaborative feats with your own eyes:

因为你看到的是人类最伟大的合作壮举之一--

The International Space Station.

国际空间站。

Roughly the size of six-bedroom house, and weighing more than 320 cars,

国际空间站约有六居室住宅那般大小，

总重超过320辆汽车重量总和。

the International Space Station is so large

任何一个火箭都无法独立把它发射进入轨道，

that no single rocket could have lifted it into orbit.

Instead, it was assembled piece by piece

只能通过组件在太空逐步组装。

while hurtling through space at 28,000 kilometers per hour,

这期间它以时速28,000公里的速度飞行，

lapping the Earth once every 90 minutes.

每90分钟可绕地球转一圈。

It all started when sixteen nations signed

这一切源于16个国家共同签订的

the Space Station Intergovernmental Agreement,

《空间站政府间协议》，

laying out each partner's expected contributions to the ISS,

协议中预安排了各参与国对空间站需做出的贡献，

from modules and maintenance to sharing information and finances.

包括组件组装保养，信息共享及财政支持。

At an estimated 100 billion U.S. dollars,

空间站预算约为1000亿美元，

the Space Station would be the most expensive object ever built.

可能是人类史上造价最贵的东西了。

The whole world watched

当俄罗斯火箭将空间站的第一个组件”曙光号“发射进入太空的时候，

as a Russian rocket launched the first module of the ISS into the sky.

举世瞩目。

Zarya, meaning sunrise, was equipped with two solar panels

”曙光号“功能货舱，配备有两块太阳能板

and a propulsion system that had the important task

和一个推进系统。这个推进系统肩负重要功能，

of keeping the young station from crashing into the Earth

即保持空间站始终距离地球有400千米的安全距离，

by staying a safe 400 kilometers away.

以保证这个刚成立的空间站不会撞向地球。

The U.S. Space Shuttle Endeavour followed two weeks later

两周后，美国的”奋进号“航天飞机也出发了。

carrying Unity, a node module to which other modules could be connected,

它载着”团结号”节点舱（一个可以连接其他机舱的连接舱），

and an international six-person assembly crew.

以及六个人组成的国际组装小组。

Then came Zvezda, which brought communications and living accommodations.

然后是载着通讯和住宿设施的“星辰号“服务舱。

Ever since the International Space Station's first tenants arrived,

自从入住第一批“住户”后，

it's been continually occupied

国际空间站就再也没有闲置过了。

with more than 200 visitors spending an average of six months on board.

已有两百个多个访客，平均登录时长为六个月。

Astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti holds the record

宇航员Samantha Cristoforetti

for the longest single space flight by a woman at 199 days on the ISS.

保持了空间站女子单次飞行时长最长的记录，达199天。

2001 saw the arrival of Destiny, the first of four research modules,

2001年，四个实验舱中，”命运号“首先到达空间站。

where astronauts spend approximately 36 hours a week

宇航员每周花费约36个小时在舱中，

conducting extraordinary experiments in microgravity.

进行微重力条件下的特别实验。

Their schedules are packed with exercise,

日常安排包括每日运动两个小时，

two hours a day to fend off muscle atrophy,

预防肌肉萎缩，

station maintenance and repair,

空间站保养和维修，

and connecting with family or awe-inspired minds around the world.

以及和家人或者世界各地的精英联系。

还要找出时间娱乐，比如例行的“电影之夜”，

But they still find time for fun, with regular movie nights

and even shooting the first music video in space.

比如在空间站拍摄第一部音乐录像。

Destiny also controls the seven-jointed robotic Canadarm2.

“命运号”同时也操控着加拿大太空臂2，它有7个关节，

Capable of moving more than 100,000 kilograms,

可以移动超过100，000公斤的重量。

it's perfect for unloading new arrivals from shuttles.

非常适合上载航天飞机载来的新组件。

2001 was a busy year for the Space Station with the addition of Quest,

2001年是非常忙碌的一年， ”寻求号气密舱“也在这一年加入了空间站。

the main airlock for strolls outside,

”寻求号“是主要的气密舱，适用于舱外漫步。

and Pirs, a pier for Russian spacecrafts to dock

俄罗斯”码头号对接舱“可使飞船能停靠在空间站上，

including the ever-ready emergency escape vehicle, Soyuz.

上面准备有紧急逃生工具--Soyuz号返回舱。

Then, on February 1st, 2003,

然后到了2003年2月1日，

after delivering research modules to the ISS,

向国际空间站运送实验舱以后，

the space shuttle Columbia exploded during reentry

重返途中，航天飞机“哥伦比亚号”发生了爆炸，

tragically killing the seven-member crew on board.

机上7名太空人全数罹难。

After a four-year hiatus, work quickly picked up pace

直到四年后，太空站建设活动才重新恢复。

with the addition of more hubs, airlocks, docks,

加入了更多的处理器、气密舱和码头舱，

and an observation cupola for stunning 360-degree views of our world and beyond.

以及可以360°观看地球及外太空景象的穹顶仓。

Other critical components included platforms and trusses to support radiators

其他重要的部分还包括支撑散热器的平台和机械臂，

that direct all the heat generated by the station's electronics into space

这个散热器能将空间站电子产生的热能导入外太空

and solar panels that are efficient enough to power 55 homes.

和太阳能板，能量足够55个家庭使用。

It took ten years and over 30 missions,

耗时长达十年，执行了超过30次的任务后，

but finally, the International Space Station was complete,

国际空间站终于完成，

coinciding with the U.S. Space Shuttle Program's retirement.

同时，美国的航天飞机项目也终于退役了。

The Space Station continues to serve as an incredible model

空间站则依旧运行，

for international collaboration.

成为一个令人惊叹的国际合作典范。

This year, two people began a one-year stay on the ISS,

今年（2015），两位宇航员在空间站首次呆够一年，

allowing scientists to study the long-term physical and psychological effects

可供科学家研究

of being in space,

人类长期停留太空的生理及心理变化。

which would prove useful for increasingly ambitious space travel,

这将对人类熊心勃勃的未来太空旅行大有裨益，

like trips to Mars.

比如火星之旅。

Over its lifetime, we've learned an immense amount scientifically,

整个历程中，我们不仅了解了很多科学内容，

but also about our capacity to work together

更重要的是学习

and accomplish truly remarkable acts.

合作完成卓越任务的能力。