Charles Elachi: The story of the Mars Rovers

翻译人员: dahong zhang 校对人员: Yang Jacky

I thought I'd start with telling you or showing you the people who started [Jet Propulsion Lab].

我想我还是首先介绍那些创建喷气推进实验室的人们。

When they were a bunch of kids,

那时这些人还是一群孩子，

they were kind of very imaginative, very adventurous,

他们富于想象力和冒险精神，

as they were trying at Caltech to mix chemicals

当时他们在加州理工大学，调配化合物

and see which one blows up more.

看看哪种调配爆炸威力大一些。

Well, I don't recommend that you try to do that now.

不过，我可不想让各位模仿。

Naturally, they blew up a shack, and Caltech, well, then,

自然的，他们炸了一个小屋子，和加州理工，然后，

hey, you go to the Arroyo and really do all your tests in there.

喂，你们到干河床去，那里你们可以做所有试验。

So, that's what we call our first five employees

这就是我们首批五名雇员

during the tea break, you know, in here.

在茶歇的时候。

As I said, they were adventurous people.

如我所言，他们都是爱冒险的家伙。

As a matter of fact, one of them, who was, kind of, part of a cult

实际上，其中他们中的一个，是个邪教徒(Jack Parsons)

which was not too far from here on Orange Grove,

就在历此不远的奥兰治格罗夫，

and unfortunately he blew up himself because he kept mixing chemicals

倒霉的是他把自己炸上了天，因为他一边调配炸药

and trying to figure out which ones were the best chemicals.

一边想搞明白哪种是最好的炸药。

So, that gives you a kind of flavor

所以您就了解

of the kind of people we have there.

我们那里都是哪类人。

We try to avoid blowing ourselves up.

我们得小心，别把自己炸上天。

This one I thought I'd show you.

这个我想我展示过。

Guess which one is a JPL employee in the heart of this crowd.

猜猜这群人中谁是喷气推进实验室的雇员。

I tried to come like him this morning,

今天早上，我也想像他一样光膀子来，

but as I walked out, then it was too cold,

不过走出来就觉得太凉快了，

and I said, I'd better put my shirt back on.

所以我还是穿上我的衬衫吧。

But more importantly, the reason I wanted to show this picture:

不过我展示这张照片更重要的原因是：

look where the other people are looking,

看其他人看哪里，

and look where he is looking.

再看看他看哪里。

Wherever anybody else looks, look somewhere else,

不管别人看什么，我们看其他的

and go do something different, you know, and doing that.

做与众不同的事。

And that's kind of what has been the spirit of what we are doing.

这就是我们做事的精神。

And I want to tell you a quote from Ralph Emerson

有句拉尔夫•爱默生（美国散文作家、思想家、诗人）的名言

that one of my colleagues, you know, put on my wall in my office,

我的一个同事，把它挂在了我办公室的墙上，

and it says, "Do not go where the path may lead.

写道：“不要去那些有路可通的地方，而是去那些无路可通的地方并且留下你的足迹”

Go instead where there is no path, and leave a trail."

写道：“不要去那些有路可通的地方，而是去那些无路可通的地方并且留下你的足迹”

And that's my recommendation to all of you:

这就是我向大家推荐的：

look what everybody is doing, what they are doing;

看看别人都在做什么，

go do something completely different.

然后做与众不同的。

Don't try to improve a little bit on what somebody else is doing,

不要只是想改进一点别人的东西，

because that doesn't get you very far.

因为那样你不会取得很大成就。

In our early days we used to work a lot on rockets,

早些年间，我们常常在火箭上下功夫，

but we also used to have a lot of parties, you know.

不过我们也常常搞一些聚会。

As you can see, one of our parties, you know, a few years ago.

你看，这是几年前的一场聚会。

But then a big difference happened about 50 years ago,

不过50年前，发生了一件不同凡响的事，

after Sputnik was launched. We launched the first American satellite,

苏联人造卫星发射后。我们发射了第一颗美国卫星，

and that's the one you see on the left in there.

卫星就在左边的照片里。

And here we made 180 degrees change:

从此我们180度大转弯：

we changed from a rocket house to be an exploration house.

我们从一个火箭研究机构，变为一个探索机构。

And that was done over a period of a couple of years,

这个转变几年内就完成了，

and now we are the leading organization, you know,

现在我们成了最重要的组织，

exploring space on all of your behalf.

代表你们所有人探索太空。

But even when we did that, we had to remind ourselves,

不过即使在我们做事的时候，我们也要提醒自己，

sometimes there are setbacks.

挫折在所难免。

So you see, on the bottom, that rocket was supposed to go upward;

你看，下面，火箭本应该向上飞的，

somehow it ended going sideways.

不过有时候却跑偏了。

So that's what we call the misguided missile.

我们称之为误导导弹。

But then also, just to celebrate that,

后来，为了纪念一下，

we started an event at JPL for "Miss Guided Missile."

我搞了个“误导导弹小姐”的活动

So, we used to have a celebration every year and select --

所以，我们每年都搞一次活动

there used to be competition and parades and so on.

选美，游行诸如此类的。

It's not very appropriate to do it now. Some people tell me to do it;

现在不合适。有人告诉我搞。

I think, well, that's not really proper, you know, these days.

我考虑最近不太合适。

So, we do something a little bit more serious.

我们做一些更严肃的事。

And that's what you see in the last Rose Bowl, you know,

你看到的就是上次玫瑰花球(rose ball)，

when we entered one of the floats.

我们的火星车上了彩车。

That's more on the play side. And on the right side,

左面的是娱乐。右面是

that's the Rover just before we finished its testing

火星车刚完成测试

to take it to the Cape to launch it.

准备运道卡纳维拉尔角发射。

These are the Rovers up here that you have on Mars now.

图上的火星车就是现在在火星的那辆。

So that kind of tells you about, kind of, the fun things,

这就是告诉大家，我们做的娱乐和正经事。

you know, and the serious things that we try to do.

这就是告诉大家，我们做的娱乐和正经事。

But I said I'm going to show you a short clip

不过我要播放的短片

of one of our employees to kind of give you an idea

拍的是我们的一个雇员，给你一个我们中一些天才的印象。

about some of the talent that we have.

拍的是我们的一个雇员，给你一个我们中一些天才的印象。

Video: Morgan Hendry: Beware of Safety is

视频：Morgan Hendry: "Beware of Safety"是一个器乐摇滚乐队。

an instrumental rock band.

视频：Morgan Hendry: "Beware of Safety"是一个器乐摇滚乐队。

It branches on more the experimental side.

乐风偏向实验音乐。

There's the improvisational side of jazz.

有即兴爵士乐元素。

There's the heavy-hitting sound of rock.

有重打击摇滚乐元素。

Being able to treat sound as an instrument, and be able to dig

把声音向乐器一样处理，可以挖掘

for more abstract sounds and things to play live,

更多的抽象声音使演奏更生动，

mixing electronics and acoustics.

混合了电声乐器和原生乐器。

The music's half of me, but the other half --

我的工作一半是音乐，另一半也是是最棒的。

I landed probably the best gig of all.

我的工作一半是音乐，另一半也是是最棒的。

I work for the Jet Propulsion Lab. I'm building the next Mars Rover.

我在喷气推进实验室工作。我参与制造火星车。

Some of the most brilliant engineers I know

我知道一些最富才气的工程师，也拥有艺术素质。

are the ones who have that sort of artistic quality about them.

我知道一些最富才气的工程师，也拥有艺术素质。

You've got to do what you want to do.

做你想做的事。

And anyone who tells you you can't, you don't listen to them.

要是有人说你不行，你不要听他们的。

Maybe they're right - I doubt it.

没准他们正确，不过我怀疑它。

Tell them where to put it, and then just do what you want to do.

告诉他们放心，然后做你想做的。

I'm Morgan Hendry. I am NASA.

我叫Morgan Hendry。我是NASA人。

Charles Elachi: Now, moving from the play stuff to the serious stuff,

查尔斯·埃拉奇：现在先离开娱乐的东西，转到正事上来。

always people ask, why do we explore?

人们老是问我们，我们为什么要探索？

Why are we doing all of these missions and why are we exploring them?

我们为什么做这些任务，为什么探索它们？

Well, the way I think about it is fairly simple.

我想原因其实挺简单的。

Somehow, 13 billion years ago there was a Big Bang, and you've heard

130亿年前的宇宙大爆炸，您听说过一些也就是宇宙的起源。

a little bit about, you know, the origin of the universe.

130亿年前的宇宙大爆炸，您听说过一些也就是宇宙的起源。

But somehow what strikes everybody's imagination --

不过触动每个人想象力

or lots of people's imagination -- somehow from that original Big Bang

或者很多人想象力的是，从宇宙大爆炸起

we have this beautiful world that we live in today.

直到我们拥有这个我们生存的美丽世界。

You look outside: you have all that beauty that you see,

您看看外面：您拥有所有的美景，

all that life that you see around you,

您身边所有的生命，

and here we have intelligent people like you and I

地球上有智慧的人类，如你和我

who are having a conversation here.

在这里进行智慧的谈话。

All that started from that Big Bang. So, the question is:

所有这一切起源于宇宙大爆炸。所以问题是：

How did that happen? How did that evolve? How did the universe form?

怎么发生的？如何进化的？宇宙怎么形成的？

How did the galaxies form? How did the planets form?

星系如何形成的？行星如何形成的？

Why is there a planet on which there is life which have evolved?

为什么有个星球就有进化了的生命？

Is that very common?

这种现象普遍吗?

Is there life on every planet that you can see around the stars?

可见的围绕恒星运行的每个行星上都有生命吗?

So we literally are all made out of stardust.

本质上我们都是由星尘构成的。

We started from those stars; we are made of stardust.

我们起源于星星，我们由星尘构成。

So, next time you are really depressed, look in the mirror

所以，下次您很沮丧的时候，照照镜子

and you can look and say, hi, I'm looking at a star here.

您可以边看边说，Hi，我在看一颗星（明星）。

You can skip the dust part.

您可以跳过尘埃这段。

But literally, we are all made of stardust.

不过本质上，我们都是由星尘构成。

So, what we are trying to do in our exploration is effectively

所以，我们所进行的探索，实际上就是在撰写事物进化至今的书。

write the book of how things have came about as they are today.

所以，我们所进行的探索，实际上就是在撰写事物进化至今的书。

And one of the first, or the easiest, places we can go

首选的，或者说最容易的，我们可以去火星探索。

and explore that is to go towards Mars.

首选的，或者说最容易的，我们可以去火星探索。

And the reason Mars takes particular attention:

之所以火星引起特别的关注：

it's not very far from us.

因为它离我们不远。

You know, it'll take us only six months to get there.

你知道，仅六个月我们就可以到那里。

Six to nine months at the right time of the year.

在合适的年份需要六到九个月。

It's a planet somewhat similar to Earth. It's a little bit smaller,

火星是个类似地球的星球。稍微小一点儿，

but the land mass on Mars is about the same

火星的组成和地球很相似

as the land mass on Earth, you know,

火星的组成和地球很相似

if you don't take the oceans into account.

如果不算上海洋的话。（火星没有海洋）

It has polar caps. It has an atmosphere somewhat thinner than ours,

火星有极地冰冠。有大气，比地球的要稀薄，

so it has weather. So, it's very similar to some extent,

所以有天气变化。某些方面与地球非常类似

and you can see some of the features on it,

您可以看到类似的地形，

like the Grand Canyon on Mars,

诸如火星上的大峡谷，

or what we call the Grand Canyon on Mars.

或者我们所称的火星大峡谷。

It is like the Grand Canyon on Earth, except a hell of a lot larger.

很象地球上的（美国）大峡谷，不过要大的多。

So it's about the size, you know, of the United States.

就大小来说，有美国那么大。

It has volcanoes on it. And that's Mount Olympus on Mars,

火星上有火山。火星上的奥林匹斯山，

which is a kind of huge volcanic shield on that planet.

是一个巨型的盾状火山。

And if you look at the height of it

就高度来说

and you compare it to Mount Everest, you see, it'll give you

您可以对比一下珠穆朗玛峰，

an idea of how large that Mount Olympus, you know, is,

相对于珠穆朗玛峰，奥林匹斯山有多巨大。

relative to Mount Everest.

相对于珠穆朗玛峰，奥林匹斯山有多巨大。

So, it basically dwarfs, you know, Mount Everest here on Earth.

地球上的珠穆朗玛峰相形见绌。

So, that gives you an idea of the tectonic events or volcanic events

给您那个星球上的构造活动和火山活动的印象。

which have happened on that planet.

给您那个星球上的构造活动和火山活动的印象。

Recently from one of our satellites, this shows that it's Earth-like --

最近我们的一颗卫星抓拍到了，类似地球上滑坡的发生。

we caught a landslide occurring as it was happening.

最近我们的一颗卫星抓拍到了，类似地球上滑坡的发生。

So it is a dynamic planet,

所以它是一个动态行星，

and activity is going on as we speak today.

在我们说话的时候活动还在进行。

And these Rovers, people wonder now, what are they doing today,

关于火星车，人们想知道，它们现在做什么呢，

so I thought I would show you a little bit what they are doing.

所以我要展示一些火星车的近况。

This is one very large crater. Geologists love craters,

这是一个大陨石坑。地质学家喜欢陨石坑，

because craters are like digging a big hole in the ground

因为陨石坑就像是凭空在地上挖个大坑。

without really working at it,

因为陨石坑就像是凭空在地上挖个大坑。

and you can see what's below the surface.

您可以看到地表以下。

So, this is called Victoria Crater,

这就是叫做"维多利亚"坑的火星陨石坑，

which is about a few football fields in size.

有几个足球场大小。

And if you look at the top left, you see a little teeny dark dot.

如果您仔细看左上部，就会看到一个小黑点儿。

This picture was taken from an orbiting satellite.

这张照片拍自一颗在轨卫星。

If I zoom on it, you can see: that's the Rover on the surface.

我放大的话，您就可以看到：这就是在地表的火星车。

So, that was taken from orbit; we had the camera zoom on the surface,

这是从轨道上拍到的，我们可以让相机放大地表，

and we actually saw the Rover on the surface.

我们可以看到地表上的火星车。

And we actually used the combination of the satellite images

我们实际上综合卫星和火星车的照片来指导科学探索，

and the Rover to actually conduct science,

我们实际上综合卫星和火星车的照片来指导科学探索，

because we can observe large areas

因为这样我们可以观测到很大一片区域

and then you can get those Rovers to move around

然后就可以开动火星车移动到某一特定地点。

and basically go to a certain location.

然后就可以开动火星车移动到某一特定地点。

So, specifically what we are doing now is

所以我们现在要做的就是让火星车下到坑里去。

that Rover is going down in that crater.

所以我们现在要做的就是让火星车下到坑里去。

As I told you, geologists love craters.

如我所言，地质学家爱陨石坑。

And the reason is, many of you went to the Grand Canyon,

原因是，你们中很多人到过大峡谷，

and you see in the wall of the Grand Canyon, you see these layers.

在大峡谷的石壁上，您可以看到很多地层。

And what these layers -- that's what the surface used to be

这些地层，就是一百万年前一千万年前或一亿年前的地表，

a million years ago, 10 million years ago,

这些地层，就是一百万年前一千万年前或一亿年前的地表，

100 million years ago, and you get deposits on top of them.

您可以从上面提取沉积物。

So if you can read the layers it's like reading your book,

如果你仔细看这些地层，就像是在看一本历史书，

and you can learn the history of what happened in the past

您可以学到这里过去历史上发生的事件。

in that location.

您可以学到这里过去历史上发生的事件。

So what you are seeing here are the layers on the wall

您所看到的就是陨石坑坑壁的地层，

of that crater, and the Rover is going down now, measuring, you know,

火星车准备下去测量，

the properties and analyzing the rocks

下到坑里测量岩石的属性和成分。

as it's going down, you know, that canyon.

下到坑里测量岩石的属性和成分。

Now, it's kind of a little bit of a challenge driving

驶下这样的斜面有些困难。

down a slope like this.

驶下这样的斜面有些困难。

If you were there you wouldn't do it yourself.

如果是你的话你不会直接下去。

But we really made sure we tested those Rovers

在下去之前我们都测试了这些火星车，或者说这辆火星车

before we got them down -- or that Rover --

在下去之前我们都测试了这些火星车，或者说这辆火星车

and made sure that it's all working well.

确保工作正常。

Now, when I came last time, shortly after the landing --

记得我上次来演讲的时候，那还是火星车刚着陆不久

I think it was, like, a hundred days after the landing --

我记得好像是着陆100天的时候

I told you I was surprised that those Rovers

我告诉大家我感到很意外

are lasting even a hundred days.

火星车可以坚持运行100天。

Well, here we are four years later, and they're still working.

四年后，它们还运行正常。

Now you say, Charles, you are really lying to us, and so on,

现在你会说，查尔斯，你在瞎说，

but that's not true. We really believed they were going to last

事实恰恰相反。以前我们真的认为火星车

90 days or 100 days, because they are solar powered,

只能坚持90到100天，因为它们是太阳能驱动的，

and Mars is a dusty planet, so we expected the dust

火星是有尘土的星球，我们认为

would start accumulating on the surface, and after a while

尘土会在太阳能电池表面积累，过一段时间

we wouldn't have enough power, you know, to keep them warm.

我们就不会有足够的电能了，不能保持火星车存活。

Well, I always say it's important that you are smart,

我总是说聪明很重要，

but every once in a while it's good to be lucky.

不过偶尔幸运也是好事。

And that's what we found out. It turned out that every once in a while

这是我们发现的。后来证明偶尔会有

there are dust devils which come by on Mars, as you are seeing here,

尘旋风刮过火星，如你所见，

and when the dust devil comes over the Rover, it just cleans it up.

尘旋风刮过火星车后，火星车上的尘土就被吹干净了。

It is like a brand new car that you have,

就像一辆崭新的小车，

and that's literally why they have lasted so long.

这就是火星车存活长久的原因。

And now we designed them reasonably well,

当然火星车设计的不错，

but that's exactly why they are lasting that long

不过尘旋风才火星车存活如此之久的原因

and still providing all the science data.

直到现在还在发送各类科学数据。

Now, the two Rovers, each one of them is, kind of, getting old.

现在两辆火星车都有点变得老旧了。

You know, one of them, one of the wheels is stuck, is not working,

其中一辆一个轮子卡住了，

one of the front wheels, so what we are doing,

是一个前轮，所以我们只能倒车行驶。

we are driving it backwards.

是一个前轮，所以我们只能倒车行驶。

And the other one has arthritis of the shoulder joint, you know,

另一辆火星车机器关节有点关节炎，

it's not working very well, so it's walking like this,

运行不太好，走起来像这样，

and we can move the arm, you know, that way.

我们可以这样移动机器臂。

But still they are producing a lot of scientific data.

不过它们还继续提供大量科学数据。

Now, during that whole period, a number of people got excited,

在整个运行期间有不少人得到灵感，

you know, outside the science community about these Rovers,

是科学圈子以外的人关心火星车，

so I thought I'd show you a video just to give you a reflection

我想我要放一段视频，考虑一下科学圈子以外的认识如何看待火星车的。

about how these Rovers are being viewed by people

我想我要放一段视频，考虑一下科学圈子以外的认识如何看待火星车的。

other than the science community.

我想我要放一段视频，考虑一下科学圈子以外的认识如何看待火星车的。

So let me go on the next short video.

让我播放下一个视频.

By the way, this video is pretty accurate of how the landing took place, you know,

顺便说一下,这段视频反映的四年前的着陆过程还是相当准确的。

about four years ago.

顺便说一下,这段视频反映的四年前的着陆过程还是相当准确的。

Video: Okay, we have parachute aligned.

视频：Ok，降落伞打开。

Okay, deploy the airbags. Open.

Ok，[声音不清楚]。打开。

Camera. We have a picture right now.

照相机。我们收到图片。

Yeah!

Yeah!

CE: That's about what happened in the Houston operation room. It's exactly like this.

在休斯敦的控制室当时就这样。非常像。

Video: Now, if there is life, the Dutch will find it.

现在，如果那里有生命的话荷兰人会找到的。

What is he doing?

他在干什么？

What is that?

那是什么？

CE: Not too bad.

还不错。

So anyway, let me continue on showing you a little bit

CE：我再展示一些火星的美景。

about the beauty of that planet.

CE：我再展示一些火星的美景。

As I said earlier, it looked very much like Earth,

就像我刚才说的，火星非常类似地球，

so you see sand dunes.

看看沙丘。

It looks like I could have told you these are pictures taken

如果我告诉你这些照片

from the Sahara Desert or somewhere, and you'd have believed me,

是拍自撒哈拉沙漠一类的地方，你也会相信，

but these are pictures taken from Mars.

不过这些照片是拍自火星。

But one area which is particularly intriguing for us

其中有一个区域特别吸引我们

is the northern region, you know, of Mars, close to the North Pole,

火星北部地区，靠近北极，

because we see ice caps, and we see the ice caps shrinking

因为我们看到冰盖，我们看到冰盖收缩

and expanding, so it's very much like you have in northern Canada.

扩张，类似您在加拿大北部看到的。

And we wanted to find out -- and we see all kinds of glacial features on it.

我们想找到，我们看到了各类的冰川地貌。

So, we wanted to find out, actually,

我们想弄明白，实际上，

what is that ice made of, and could that have embedded in it

冰的成分，其中含有什么。

some organic, you know, material.

有机物，物质。

So we have a spacecraft which is heading towards Mars,

我们有个航天器正飞向火星，

called Phoenix, and that spacecraft will land

叫做“凤凰号”，还有17天7小时20秒就要着陆火星了，

17 days, seven hours and 20 seconds from now,

叫做“凤凰号”，还有17天7小时20秒就要着陆火星了，

so you can adjust your watch.

您可以对对表。

So it's on May 25 around just before five o'clock our time here

五月25号西海岸时间5点钟之前，我们将着陆另一个星球。

on the West Coast, actually we will be landing on another planet.

五月25号西海岸时间5点钟之前，我们将着陆另一个星球。

And as you can see, this is a picture of the spacecraft put on Mars,

如你所见，这是探测器着陆火星后的效果图，

but I thought that just in case you're going to miss that show, you know,

不过我想您万一错过了17天后的节目，

in 17 days, I'll show you, kind of,

我这里播放给您

a little bit of what's going to happen.

看看着陆场面。

Video: That's what we call the seven minutes of terror.

视频：这就是被我们称为恐怖的7分钟。

So the plan is to dig in the soil and take samples

计划是挖掘土壤和采样

that we put them in an oven and actually heat them

然后放到一个炉子里加热

and look what gases will come from it.

看看会有什么气体产生。

So this was launched about nine months ago.

这是9个月以前发射的。

We'll be coming in at 12,000 miles per hour, and in seven minutes

要在七分钟里从时速12000英里减速到零

we have to stop and touch the surface very softly

轻柔的降落在火星地表

so we don't break that lander.

不能撞坏我们的探测器。

Ben Cichy: Phoenix is the first Mars Scout mission.

Ben Cichy：凤凰号是首次[声音不清楚]。

It's the first mission that's going to try to land

是首个要着陆火星北极附近的任务，也是首次

near the North Pole of Mars, and it's the first mission

是首个要着陆火星北极附近的任务，也是首次

that's actually going to try and reach out and touch water

将要在另一个星球上接触到水。

on the surface of another planet.

将要在另一个星球上接触到水。

Lynn Craig: Where there tends to be water, at least on Earth,

Lynn Craig：至少在地球上是，哪里有水

there tends to be life, and so it's potentially a place

哪里就会有生命，所以那里是个潜在的地点

where life could have existed on the planet in the past.

可能在火星上过去存在生命。

Erik Bailey: The main purpose of EDL is to take a spacecraft that is traveling

Erik Bailey：在EDL(进入、下降和着陆)过程中，航天器将会

at 12,500 miles an hour and bring it to a screeching halt

在短时间内柔和的从12500英里每小时减速为零。

in a soft way in a very short amount of time.

在短时间内柔和的从12500英里每小时减速为零。

BC: We enter the Martian atmosphere.

BC：我们进入火星大气。

We're 70 miles above the surface of Mars.

离火星地表70英里。

And our lander is safely tucked inside what we call an aeroshell.

着陆器折叠收缩在我称之为空天穿梭机（aero-shuttle）内。

EB: Looks kind of like an ice cream cone, more or less.

EB：看上去像(装冰淇淋之)锥形蛋卷。

BC: And on the front of it is this heat shield,

BC：正面是隔热罩，

this saucer-looking thing that has about a half-inch

有点像飞碟，大约半英尺厚

of essentially what's cork on the front of it,

隔热材料覆盖在正面，

which is our heat shield.

就是我们的隔热罩。

Now, this is really special cork,

这是特别的盖子，

and this cork is what's going to protect us

这个盖子会在进入大气层的时候防止空气摩擦的高温。

from the violent atmospheric entry that we're about to experience.

这个盖子会在进入大气层的时候防止空气摩擦的高温。

Rob Grover: Friction really starts to build up on the spacecraft,

Rob Grover：航天器会与大气产生空气摩擦阻力

and we use the friction when it's flying through the atmosphere

利用飞越大气层时的空气摩擦力减速。

to our advantage to slow us down.

利用飞越大气层时的空气摩擦力减速。

BC: From this point, we're going to decelerate from 12,500 miles an hour

BC：从这一点，我们将要从时速12500英里减速到时速900英里。

down to 900 miles an hour.

BC：从这一点，我们将要从时速12500英里减速到时速900英里。

EB: The outside can get almost as hot as the surface of the Sun.

EB：外罩的高温可以达到太阳表面的温度。

RG: The temperature of the heat shield can reach 2,600 degrees Fahrenheit.

RG：隔热罩的温度可以达到2600华氏度。

EB: The inside doesn't get very hot.

EB：内部温度不会很高。

It probably gets about room temperature.

大约会达到室温。

Richard Kornfeld: There is this window of opportunity

Richard Kornfeld：之后的窗口期

within which we can deploy the parachute.

我们可以打开降落伞。

EB: If you fire the 'chute too early, the parachute itself could fail.

EB：如果降落伞打开得太早，降落伞就会损坏。

The fabric and the stitching could just pull apart.

布料和接缝就会扯开。

And that would be bad.

那就糟了。

BC: In the first 15 seconds after we deploy the parachute,

BC：打开降落伞的头15秒钟，

we'll decelerate from 900 miles an hour

会从900英里每小时降到250英里每小时。

to a relatively slow 250 miles an hour.

会从900英里每小时降到250英里每小时。

We no longer need the heat shield to protect us

这时就不再需要隔热罩保护我们进入大气层了，所以我们丢弃隔热罩，

from the force of atmospheric entry, so we jettison the heat shield,

这时就不再需要隔热罩保护我们进入大气层了，所以我们丢弃隔热罩，

exposing for the first time our lander to the atmosphere of Mars.

着陆器第一次暴露在火星大气层中。

LC: After the heat shield has been jettisoned and the legs are deployed,

LC：隔热罩丢弃后，着陆架打开，

the next step is to have the radar system begin to detect

下一步是雷达系统探测

how far Phoenix really is from the ground.

测量凤凰号离地高度。

BC: We've lost 99 percent of our entry velocity.

BC：我们减掉了进入大气层时99%的速度。

So, we're 99 percent of the way to where we want to be.

我们完成目标的99%。

But that last one percent, as it always seems to be, is the tricky part.

不过最后的1%，总是最棘手的部分。

EB: Now the spacecraft actually has to decide

EB：现在航天器自主决定

when it's going to get rid of its parachute.

何时抛掉降落伞。

BC: We separate from the lander going 125 miles an hour

BC：在离火星地表一公里(3200英尺)处，时速125英里时，着陆器脱离。

at roughly a kilometer above the surface of Mars: 3,200 feet.

BC：在离火星地表一公里(3200英尺)处，时速125英里时，着陆器脱离。

That's like taking two Empire State Buildings

高度是两个帝国大厦摞起来那么高。

and stacking them on top of one another.

高度是两个帝国大厦摞起来那么高。

EB: That's when we separate from the back shell,

EB：从底盖分离后，

and we're now in free-fall.

自由落体。

It's a very scary moment; a lot has to happen

非常可怕的时刻，短时间内会出各种状况。

in a very short amount of time.

非常可怕的时刻，短时间内会出各种状况。

LC: So it's in a free-fall,

LC：它是个自由落体，

but it's also trying to use all of its actuators

着陆器利用所有传感器

to make sure that it's in the right position to land.

确保它降落在正确的地点。

EB: And then it has to light up its engines, right itself,

EB：然后自主的制动发动机点火，

and then slowly slow itself down and touch down on the ground safely.

慢慢减速，直到安全着陆。

BC: Earth and Mars are so far apart that it takes over ten minutes

BC：地球和火星之间的距离很遥远，需要10分钟

for a signal from Mars to get to Earth.

火星发的信号才能抵达地球。

And EDL itself is all over in a matter of seven minutes.

EDL（进入、下降和着陆）仅在7分钟内就完成。

So by the time you even hear from the lander that EDL has started

实际上当我们知道着落器开始EDL（进入、下降和着陆）过程时

it'll already be over.

EDL（进入、下降和着陆）其实已经结束了。

EB: We have to build large amounts of autonomy into the spacecraft

EB：航天器设计的很自动化

so that it can land itself safely.

这样它才能自主安全着陆。

BC: EDL is this immense, technically challenging problem.

BC：EDL（进入、下降和着陆）就是极大的技术难题。

It's about getting a spacecraft that's hurtling through deep space

就是一个航天器飞速冲入外太空

and using all this bag of tricks to somehow figure out

然后用一套措施设法减速为零降落在火星表面。

how to get it down to the surface of Mars at zero miles an hour.

然后用一套措施设法减速为零降落在火星表面。

It's this immensely exciting and challenging problem.

这是一个令人兴奋的巨大的挑战。

CE: Hopefully it all will happen the way you saw it in here.

CE：希望着陆过程如我们所见的这样顺利。

So it will be a very tense moment, you know,

那将是一个非常紧张的时刻，

as we are watching that spacecraft landing on another planet.

我们将目睹航天器降落在另一个行星上。

So now let me talk about the next things that we are doing.

接下来讲一讲我们的下一步计划。

So we are in the process, as we speak, of actually designing

我们正在设计下一代火星车的流程中。

the next Rover that we are going to be sending to Mars.

我们正在设计下一代火星车的过程中。

So I thought I would go a little bit and tell you, kind of,

我多说一下，

the steps we go through.

我们做过的步骤。

It's very similar to what you do when you design your product.

非常类似设计新产品。

As you saw a little bit earlier,

如刚才所见，

when we were doing the Phoenix one,

当我们设计凤凰号时，

we have to take into account the heat that we are going to be facing.

我们得考虑进入大气层时的温度问题。

So we have to study all kinds of different materials,

所以我们必须研究各种不同的材料，

the shape that we want to do.

所需形状。

In general we don't try to please the customer here.

总的来讲我们不必取悦顾客。

What we want to do is to make sure we have an effective, you know,

我们做要做的，就是确保设计一部有效的机器。

an efficient kind of machine.

我们做要做的，就是确保设计一部有效的机器。

First we start by we want to have our employees

首先我们一开始就要求我们的雇员充满想象力。

to be as imaginative as they can.

首先我们一开始就要求我们的雇员充满想象力。

And we really love being close to the art center, because we have,

我们很喜欢离艺术中心很近，

as a matter of fact, one of the alumni from the art center,

因为实际上，我们有个从艺术中心来的校友，

Eric Nyquist, had put a series of displays,

Eric Nyquist，搞了一系列的展示，

far-out displays, you know,

深空展示，

in our what we call mission design or spacecraft design room,

摆放在我们的任务设计或者是航天器设计室内，

just to get people to think wildly about things.

好让人们自由的思考。

We have a bunch of Legos. So, as I said,

我们有一堆乐高玩具。

this is a playground for adults, where they sit down and try to play

这里就是成人的娱乐场，他们坐下来玩

with different shapes and different designs.

做出不同形状，不同设计。

Then we get a little bit more serious, so we have

然后我们再认真一点，

what we call our CAD/CAMs and all the engineers who are involved,

进入到CAD/CAM(计算机辅助设计制造)，所有参与的工程师

or scientists who are involved, who know about thermal properties,

科学家，了解热学性能的，

know about design, know about atmospheric interaction, parachutes,

懂得设计的，了解大气层作用的，降落伞的，

all of these things, which they work in a team effort

汇集这一切，团队协作

and actually design a spacecraft in a computer to some extent,

实际在计算机里设计航天器，

so to see, does that meet the requirement that we need.

看看是否符合我们的需求。

On the right, also, we have to take into account

而且，我们还要考虑我们的目标星球的环境。

the environment of the planet where we are going.

而且，我们还要考虑我们的目标星球的环境。

If you are going to Jupiter, you have a very high-radiation,

如果要飞到木星，那里有非常高的辐射，

you know, environment. It's about the same radiation environment

木星里的辐射强度和核反应堆里的一样高。

close by Jupiter as inside a nuclear reactor.

木星里的辐射强度和核反应堆里的一样高。

So just imagine: you take your P.C. and throw it into a nuclear reactor

想象一下，把你的PC扔到核反应堆中还要正常运行。

and it still has to work.

想象一下，把你的PC扔到核反应堆中还要正常运行。

So these are kind of some of the little challenges, you know,

这就是我们面临的一些小挑战。

that we have to face.

这就是我们面临的一些小挑战。

If we are doing entry, we have to do tests of parachutes.

要进入大气层，我们就要测试降落伞。

You saw in the video a parachute breaking. That would be a bad day,

您看视频中降落伞撕裂。那是糟糕的一天，

you know, if that happened, so we have to test,

如果发生了这个，我们就需要测试，

because we are deploying this parachute at supersonic speeds.

因为我们要在超音速的情况下打开降落伞。

We are coming at extremely high speeds, and we are deploying them

我们在极高速时打开降落伞

to slow us down. So we have to do all kinds of tests.

减速。所以我们必须做各类的实验。

To give you an idea of the size, you know, of that parachute

给您一个直观印象，这是降落伞和站着的人对比。

relative to the people standing there.

给您一个直观印象，这是降落伞和站着的人对比。

Next step, we go and actually build some kind of test models

下一步，我们就要实际造一些测试模型

and actually test them, you know, in the lab at JPL,

实际测试它们，就在JPL的实验室里，

in what we call our Mars Yard.

我们称之为“火星场 ”（Mars Yard）。

We kick them, we hit them, we drop them,

踢它们，敲它们，丢它们，

just to make sure we understand how, where would they break.

就是为了确保我们完全了解哪里会出问题。

And then we back off, you know, from that point.

然后修改。

And then we actually do the actual building and the flight.

然后我们实际造并试飞。

And this next Rover that we're flying is about the size of a car.

这是下一代火星车，有一辆小汽车大小。

That big shield that you see outside,

外面的大罩子，

that's a heat shield which is going to protect it.

就是起保护作用的隔热罩。

And that will be basically built over the next year,

基本上明年就可以建成了，

and it will be launched June a year from now.

明年六月就将发射。

Now, in that case, because it was a very big Rover,

这种情况下，这是一个非常大的火星车，

we couldn't use airbags.

我们不能用气囊了。

And I know many of you, kind of, last time afterwards said

我知道，上次演讲后

well, that was a cool thing to have -- those airbags.

很多人都说气囊的设计非常酷。

Unfortunately this Rover is, like, ten times the size of the, you know,

不过新火星车与原来的火星车比大了十倍，重了三倍。

mass-wise, of the other Rover, or three times the mass.

不过新火星车与原来的火星车比大了十倍，重了三倍。

So we can't use airbags. So we have to come up with

所以我们用不了气囊了。所以我们用了

another ingenious idea of how do we land it.

另一个新颖的设想，实现着陆。

And we didn't want to take it propulsively all the way to the surface

我们不想它一直推进到地面

because we didn't want to contaminate the surface;

因为我们不想污染地表，

we wanted the Rover to immediately land on its legs.

我们想让火星车直接用着陆架着地。

So we came up with this ingenious idea,

所以我们想出了这个新颖的方案，

which is used here on Earth for helicopters.

类似地球上的直升机。

Actually, the lander will come down to about 100 feet and hover

实际上，着陆器会悬浮在100英尺高度

above that surface for 100 feet, and then we have a sky crane

然后用空中吊臂

which will take that Rover and land it down on the surface.

把火星车降到地表。

Hopefully it all will work, you know, it will work that way.

希望运行良好，火星车将以这种方式运作。

And that Rover will be more kind of like a chemist.

火星车更像化学家了。

What we are going to be doing with that Rover as it drives around,

火星车到处开的时候，

it's going to go and analyze the chemical composition of rocks.

它就可以分析岩石的化学成分。

So it will have an arm which will take samples,

它会有个机器臂采样，

put them in an oven, crush and analyze them.

放在一个炉子里，粉碎并分析。

But also, if there is something that we cannot reach

如果火星车不能够到得地方

because it is too high on a cliff, we have a little laser system

如岩壁太高，我们会用小激光器

which will actually zap the rock, evaporate some of it,

瞄准岩石，气化一部分，

and actually analyze what's coming from that rock.

然后分析其中的构成。

So it's a little bit like "Star Wars," you know, but it's real.

有点像星球大战，不过这是真的。

It's real stuff.

是真东西。

And also to help you, to help the community

同时服务您，服务社会

so you can do ads on that Rover, we are going to train that Rover

您可以在火星上打广告，我们可以训练火星车

to actually in addition to do this, to actually serve cocktails,

附带做这些，提供鸡尾酒，

you know, also on Mars.

在火星上。

So that's kind of giving you an idea of the kind of, you know,

这可以给您一个主意，我们可以在火星上做些有趣的事。

fun things we are doing on Mars.

这可以给您一个主意，我们可以在火星上做些有趣的事。

I thought I'd go to "The Lord of the Rings" now

我想我要去“魔戒”

and show you some of the things we have there.

展示一些我们有的。

Now, "The Lord of the Rings" has two things played through it.

“魔戒”有两个东西展示。

One, it's a very attractive planet --

一个，它是一个非常有吸引力的行星

it just has the beauty of the rings and so on.

它有美丽的环。

But for scientists, also the rings have a special meaning,

不过对于科学家，这个环有着特殊的意义，

because we believe they represent, on a small scale,

因为我们相信它们代表，一个小规模的，

how the Solar System actually formed.

太阳系的形成过程。

Some of the scientists believe that the way the Solar System formed,

一些科学家相信，太阳系就是这样形成的，

that the Sun when it collapsed and actually created the Sun,

当太阳诞生的时候，

a lot of the dust around it created rings

有很多尘埃围绕着它

and then the particles in those rings accumulated together,

然后在环中有些东西聚集在一起，

and they formed bigger rocks, and then that's how the planets,

然后形成大岩块，然后形成行星，

you know, were formed.

这样形成。

So, the idea is, by watching Saturn we're actually watching

观点是，通过观察土星环我们可以

our solar system in real time being formed on a smaller scale,

了解我们太阳系是怎样形成的，

so it's like a test bed for it.

就像个测试平台。

So, let me show you a little bit

让我展示一些

on what that Saturnian system looks like.

土星系统。

First, I'm going to fly you over the rings.

首先，让我们飞跃土星环。

By the way, all of this is real stuff.

提一下，所有这些都是真的。

This is not animation or anything like this.

这不是动画，或者其他东西。

This is actually taken from the satellite

这实际上是拍自卫星

that we have in orbit around Saturn, the Cassini.

环绕土星轨道的卡西尼号。

And you see the amount of detail that is in those rings,

您可以看到大量土星环的细节，

which are the particles.

是些微粒。

Some of them are agglomerating together to form larger particles.

有一些累积在一起形成大的颗粒。

So that's why you have these gaps, is because a small satellite, you know,

这就是为什么土星环有间断，因为形成了小卫星了，

is being formed in that location.

在那个位置形成。

Now, you think that those rings are very large objects.

现在，您认为这些环非常大。

Yes, they are very large in one dimension;

没错，它们在宽多上很大，

in the other dimension they are paper thin. Very, very thin.

不过厚度却和纸一样薄。非常非常薄。

What you are seeing here is the shadow of the ring on Saturn itself.

这是土星环在土星上的影子。

And that's one of the satellites

这是其中一颗卫星

which was actually formed on that one.

就是由此形成的。

So, think about it as a paper-thin,

所以想象它如纸薄，

huge area of many hundreds of thousands of miles, which is rotating.

广大的区域成千上万英里，环绕着。

And we have a wide variety of kind of satellites which will form,

将有各类不同卫星形成，

each one looking very different and very odd, and that keeps

每个都奇形怪状，这会让

scientists busy for tens of years trying to explain this,

科学家们忙上数十年，来解释这些东西，

and telling NASA we need more money so we can explain

然后告所NASA我们需要更多钱来探索

what these things look like, or why they formed that way.

为什么这些东西长成这样，或者为什么那样形成。

Well, there were two satellites which were particularly interesting.

其中有两颗卫星非常有趣。

One of them is called Enceladus.

一个叫Enceladus（土卫二）

It's a satellite which was all made of ice,

这颗卫星由冰构成，

and we measured it from orbit. Made of ice.

从轨道上测量。由冰构成。

But there was something bizarre about it.

不过有些不寻常的东西。

If you look at these stripes in here, what we call tiger stripes,

看这些斑纹，我们称之为虎皮斑纹，

when we flew over them, all of a sudden we saw

当我们飞跃它们时，忽然我们发现

an increase in the temperature, which said that those stripes

温度的升高，就是说这些斑纹

are warmer than the rest of the planet.

比星球上其他地方要热。

So as we flew by away from it, we looked back. And guess what?

当我们飞过去回望的时候。猜猜看

We saw geysers coming out.

我们看到了间歇泉。

So this is a Yellowstone, you know, of Saturn.

这是土星的黄石公园。

We are seeing geysers of ice which are coming out of that planet,

我们看到冰的间歇泉，从星球上喷出。

which indicate that most likely there is an ocean, you know,

这表明很有可能有海洋，

below the surface.

在地表以下。

And somehow, through some dynamic effect, we're having these geysers

由于动力效应，我们有了这些间歇泉

which are being, you know, emitted from it.

从此喷发出来。

And the reason I showed the little arrow there,

我在这里标注了距离，

I think that should say 30 miles,

应该是30英里，

we decided a few months ago to actually fly the spacecraft

几个月以前我们让航天器

through the plume of that geyser

飞越了间歇泉的漂浮物

so we can actually measure the material that it is made of.

这样我们就可以实际测量物质组成。

That was [unclear] also -- you know, because we were worried

40英里高，因为我们担心

about the risk of it, but it worked pretty well.

风险，不过它干的的不错。

We flew at the top of it, and we found that there is a fair amount of

航天器飞越顶部，我们发现相当多的

organic material which is being emitted in combination with the ice.

有机物，混在喷出的冰当中。

And over the next few years, as we keep orbiting, you know, Saturn,

之后几年，我们会继续环绕土星，

we are planning to get closer and closer down to the surface

我们计划越来越靠近地表

and make more accurate measurements.

进行更精确的测量。

Now, another satellite also attracted a lot of attention,

现在另一颗卫星引起了广泛关注，

and that's Titan. And the reason Titan is particularly interesting,

Titan(土卫六)。土卫六引起关注的原因是，

it's a satellite bigger than our moon, and it has an atmosphere.

它是一颗比我们月亮大的卫星，它有大气层。

And that atmosphere is very -- as dense as our own atmosphere.

大气密度和我们的大气差不多。

So if you were on Titan, you would feel the same pressure

如果你在土卫六上，会感觉到同样的气压

that you feel in here. Except it's a lot colder,

就像在地球。只不过凉了一点，

and that atmosphere is heavily made of methane.

它的大气层主要由甲烷构成。

Now, methane gets people all excited, because it's organic material,

甲烷让人兴奋，因为它是有机物，

so immediately people start thinking,

人们马上想到，

could life have evolved in that location,

生命可以在此进化，

when you have a lot of organic material.

如果找到有机物。

So people believe now that Titan is most likely what we call

人们相信土卫六最象

a pre-biotic planet, because it's so cold organic material did not get

生命起源星球，因为它太冷了有机物

to the stage of becoming biological material,

不能生成生物物质，

and therefore life could have evolved on it.

由此才能有生命进化。

So it could be Earth, frozen three billion years ago

它就像地球，封冻了30亿年

before life actually started on it.

然后才开始有生机。

So that's getting a lot of interest, and to show you some example

所以很有意思，展示几个例子

of what we did in there, we actually dropped a probe,

我们投下了一个探测器，

which was developed by our colleagues in Europe, we dropped a probe

是由我们欧洲的同事开发的，在围绕土星运行时投下一个探测器。

as we were orbiting Saturn.

是由我们欧洲的同事开发的，在围绕土星运行时投下一个探测器。

We dropped a probe in the atmosphere of Titan.

我们投下了一个探测器到土卫六大气层。

And this is a picture of an area as we were coming down.

这幅照片就是我们下降的区域。

Just looked like the coast of California for me.

对我来说就像加利福尼亚的海岸。

You see the rivers which are coming along the coast,

可以看到河流沿着海岸，

and you see that white area which looks like Catalina Island,

那个白色区域就像卡特琳娜岛，

and that looks like an ocean.

看上去像个海洋。

And then with an instrument we have on board, a radar instrument,

通过搭载的仪器，一个雷达仪器，

we found there are lakes like the Great Lakes in here,

我们发现了湖泊，就像这里的五大湖，

so it looks very much like Earth.

很象地球。

It looks like there are rivers on it, there are oceans or lakes,

看上去有河流，海洋或湖泊，

we know there are clouds. We think it's raining also on it.

有云彩。我们认为还有降雨。

So it's very much like the cycle on Earth except

非常类似地球的循环，不过

because it's so cold, it could not be water, you know,

那里非常冷，不是水，

because water would have frozen.

水会结冰的。

What it turned out, that all that we are seeing, all this liquid,

这些看上去是液体的东西，

[is made of] hydrocarbon and ethane and methane,

应该是烃和乙烷和甲烷，

similar to what you put in your car.

就像加入油箱里的东西。

So here we have a cycle of a planet which is like our Earth,

这个星球的循环非常类似地球，

but is all made of ethane and methane and organic material.

不过是由乙烷和甲烷以及有机物构成。

So if you were on Mars -- sorry, on Titan,

如果你在土卫六上，

you don't have to worry about four-dollar gasoline.

你不用担心4美元的汽油。

You just drive to the nearest lake, stick your hose in it,

开到附近湖边，用胶皮管灌就可以了，

and you've got your car filled up.

可以加满汽车。

On the other hand, if you light a match

另一方面，如果你划着一个火柴

the whole planet will blow up.

整个星球都会爆炸。

So in closing, I said I want to close by a couple of pictures.

在结尾，我想在以几幅照片做结尾。

And just to kind of put us in perspective,

就是让大家思考，

this is a picture of Saturn taken with a spacecraft

这是航天器从土星背后回望太阳拍摄的照片。

from behind Saturn, looking towards the Sun.

这是航天器从土星背后回望太阳拍摄的照片。

The Sun is behind Saturn, so we see what we call "forward scattering,"

太阳在土星之后，我们称之为前向散射“forward scattering”

so it highlights all the rings. And I'm going to zoom.

照亮了土星环。我放大一下。

There is a -- I'm not sure you can see it very well,

我不太清楚您能不能看见，

but on the top left, around 10 o'clock,

在左上，十点钟方向，

there is a little teeny dot, and that's Earth.

有一个黑点，那是地球。

You barely can see ourselves. So what I did, I thought I'd zoom on it.

我们能看到我们的星球。我放大照片

So as you zoom in, you know, you can see Earth, you know,

当你放大的时候，你可以看到地球，

just in the middle here. So we zoomed all the way on the art center.

就在中间。因此，我们一直放大到艺术中心。

So thank you very much.

非常感谢。