The incredible collaboration behind the International Space Station - Tien Nguyen

譯者: Ann Chen 審譯者: Harry Chen

Have you ever been gazing at a starry sky

你曾否正在凝視星光閃爍的夜空時

when suddenly a bright dot glided into view?

突然間一顆光點滑進你的視野嗎？

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

要是那光點沒有不停閃爍著 那麼你就有過截然不同的榮幸

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

親眼目睹到人類通力合作 最了不起的豐功偉業

The International Space Station.

「國際太空站 ／ISS」

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

大概像配有六間臥房的房子一般大 計重超過 320 輛車子

the International Space Station is so large

國際太空站是如此巨大

that no single rocket could have lifted it into orbit.

沒有一枚火箭能載它升起進入軌道

Instead, it was assembled piece by piece

當在時速 28,000 公里的 急速劃越外太空、

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

每 90 分鐘就多繞完地球一圈的時候

lapping the Earth once every 90 minutes.

權宜下被一截一截組裝起來

It all started when sixteen nations signed

這一切起源於當 16 個國家簽訂了 「國際太空站跨國協議」

the Space Station Intergovernmental Agreement,

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

詳列出各夥伴對國際太空站 被預期的出力

from modules and maintenance to sharing information and finances.

從模組、保養以至於 共享資料與財務支出

At an estimated 100 billion U.S. dollars,

在 1,000 億美元的預估數下

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

國際太空站將會是至今為止 人類所打造過最昂貴的物件

The whole world watched

當俄羅斯火箭發送國際太空站的 第一套模組送進太空中時

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

全世界都在看

Zarya, meaning sunrise, was equipped with two solar panels

「Zarya」意即曙光 配載著兩片太陽能電板

以及一組負有重大任務的推進系統

and a propulsion system that had the important task

of keeping the young station from crashing into the Earth

防止初期的太空站墜落地球

by staying a safe 400 kilometers away.

停留在安全的 400 公里外

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

美國的奮進號太空梭隨後兩個禮拜 帶來了 Unity／團結號

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

一套節點模組 讓其他模組可以被接連起來

and an international six-person assembly crew.

以及一批六人國際組裝小組

Then came Zvezda, which brought communications and living accommodations.

隨後 Zvezda／星辰號來到 帶來通訊系統以及起居室

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

自從國際太空站的第一批房客抵達後

it's been continually occupied

它一直被人駐守著

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

有 200 多名訪客在甲板上 平均逗留了 6 個月

Astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti holds the record

太空人莎曼珊．克里斯托福雷蒂

保有由女性所創下在國際太空站上 199 天的最長單次太空航行的紀錄

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

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

2001 年四個研究模組裡的頭一個 Destiny／命運號抵達了

where astronauts spend approximately 36 hours a week

在那裡太空人們每星期 花上近 36 個小時

conducting extraordinary experiments in microgravity.

在微重力下進行特別實驗

Their schedules are packed with exercise,

他們的作息表參雜了 每天兩小時防止肌肉萎縮的運動、

two hours a day to fend off muscle atrophy,

station maintenance and repair,

太空站的保養與維修、

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

與家人或是世界上 受人景仰的有智之士聯繫

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

不過他們仍然會忙裏偷閒 比如說定期的電影之夜

and even shooting the first music video in space.

甚至還在外太空拍了第一支音樂影片

Destiny also controls the seven-jointed robotic Canadarm2.

命運號亦控制著 7 段式的 Canadarm2／加拿大機器臂二號

Capable of moving more than 100,000 kilograms,

足以搬動超過 10 萬公斤的重物

it's perfect for unloading new arrivals from shuttles.

從太空梭上卸載新到貨件再完美不過了

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

2001 年對多出 Quest／尋求號的 國際太空站是個忙碌的一年

the main airlock for strolls outside,

尋求號是用來太空漫步的主要氣閥鎖艙

and Pirs, a pier for Russian spacecrafts to dock

以及 Pirs／碼頭號 俄羅斯太空船所停泊的船塢

including the ever-ready emergency escape vehicle, Soyuz.

附有常備緊急逃生太空船 Soyuz／聯合號

Then, on February 1st, 2003,

後來在 2003 年 2 月 1 日

after delivering research modules to the ISS,

在載送研究模組到國際太空站之後

the space shuttle Columbia exploded during reentry

太空梭哥倫比亞號在回程時爆炸了

tragically killing the seven-member crew on board.

悲慘地奪走了船上七名組員的性命

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

歷經四年的中斷以後 工作很快地趕上了腳步

with the addition of more hubs, airlocks, docks,

多出更多的樞紐、氣閥鎖艙、船塢、

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

以及觀看地球與地球以外之天地 迷人的 360 度視景觀測圓拱臺

Other critical components included platforms and trusses to support radiators

其他重要的構造包括了 支撐散熱器的平台和托臂

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

散熱器能將太空站上電子設備 產生的熱力導入外太空

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

以及效率好到足以供電 給 55 個家庭的太陽能板

It took ten years and over 30 missions,

費時十年以及超過三十次任務

but finally, the International Space Station was complete,

最後國際太空站完工了

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

與美國太空梭計劃的撤回同步

The Space Station continues to serve as an incredible model

該太空站則持續服役 充當國際合作的絕佳典範

for international collaboration.

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

今年有兩位太空人在國際太空站上 展開為期一年的停留

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

讓科學家得以研究身處外太空 長期的生理及心理影響

of being in space,

which would prove useful for increasingly ambitious space travel,

對我們日漸奢望的太空之旅－ 就像火星之旅

like trips to Mars.

這將會是保證很有用的

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

在太空站存續期間我們不但 已經在科學上學到極多

but also about our capacity to work together

而且有關我們共事的能耐 以及做到發人醒目的作為上

and accomplish truly remarkable acts.

也會學到極多東西