SpaceX将为NASA往月球运货

SpaceX将为NASA往月球运货

“SpaceX will deliver critical pressurized and unpressurized cargo, science experiments and supplies to the Gateway, such as sample collection materials and other items the crew may need on the Gateway and during their expeditions on the lunar surface,” reads NASA’s press release. The expeditions are tentatively scheduled for as early as 2024.

美国宇航局的新闻稿说：“SpaceX将把关键的加压和非加压货物、科学实验和物资，例如样品收集材料和宇航员在月球表面进行探险时可能需要的其他物品，运送到月球门户。”。探险队暂定最早在2024年。

NASA has begun awarding commercial contracts under the Artemis Program, the plan to get back to the moon. SpaceX has won the first contract, guaranteeing them two delivery trips to the Lunar Gateway and giving NASA the option to order more over a 12-year period. In total, NASA has allocated $7 billion in funds for these deliveries, so even if NASA awards contracts to other rocket companies, SpaceX will make quite the fortune.

NASA已经开始根据阿尔特弥斯计划(Artemis Program)授予商业合同，该计划旨在重返月球。SpaceX赢得了第一份合同，保证NASA前往月球门户两次，并允许美国航天局在12年内有权订购更多旅行。总的来说，美国宇航局已经为这些交付拨款70亿美元，所以即使美国宇航局将合同授予其他火箭公司，SpaceX也会赚大钱。

NASA originally put out a call for companies to plan deliveries seven months ago; in that time, SpaceX reconceptualized their supply platform for long-distance. The base of the delivery system is the Falcon Heavy , the world’s most powerful operational rocket. It was designed with a mission to the moon or Mars in mind, and because it is semi-reusable, it does so affordably.

NASA最初是在7个月前要求企业计划交付;在那段时间里，SpaceX重新定义了他们的远程供应平台。该运载系统的基础是猎鹰重型火箭，这是世界上最强大的可操作火箭。它的设计初衷是去月球或火星执行任务，因为它是半可重复使用的，所以它的成本是可以承受的。

Contained within the Falcon Heavy will be the new Dragon XL spacecraft. SpaceX has not revealed how the Dragon XL differs from the Dragon (pictured top), but the latter is already humanity’s most capable spacecraft in several areas. It can seat seven and launch with 6,000 kg of payload mass and land safely with 3,000 kg.

猎鹰重型火箭将搭载新型Dragon XL航天器。SpaceX还没有透露Dragon XL与Dragon的区别，但后者已经是人类在几个领域中能力最强的航天器。它可以容纳七人，携带6000公斤有效载荷发射，携带3000公斤安全着陆。

“Returning to the moon and supporting future space exploration requires affordable delivery of significant amounts of cargo,” said SpaceX President and Chief Operating Officer Gwynne Shotwell. “Through our partnership with NASA, SpaceX has been delivering scientific research and critical supplies to the International Space Station since 2012, and we are honored to continue the work beyond Earth’s orbit and carry Artemis cargo to Gateway.”

SpaceX公司总裁兼首席运营官Gwynne Shotwell说:“重返月球并支持未来的太空探索需要负担得起的大量货物。”“通过我们与NASA的合作，自2012年以来，SpaceX一直在向国际空间站运送科学研究和关键物资，我们很荣幸能够继续在地球轨道之外的工作，将阿尔特弥斯号的货物运送到月球门户。”