NASA下一代火星探测器将定于2020年发射（双语）

　　

　　 This image is from computer-assisted-design work on the Mars 2020 rover. The design leverages many successful features of NASA's Curiosity rover, which landed on Mars in 2012, but also adds new science instruments and a sampling system to carry out new goals for the 2020 mission.

　　这幅图片展示的是火星2020探测器计算机辅助设计图。 该设计继承了于2012年登陆火星的NASA好奇号火星探测器诸多成功特点，但也为执行2020年火星任务的新目标，增加了新的科学仪器和一套采样系统。

Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech

After an extensive review process and passing a major development milestone, NASA is ready to proceed with final design and construction of its next Mars rover, currently targeted to launch in the summer of 2020 and arrive on the Red Planet in February 2021.

　　经历了广泛的项目审查过程和通过一个主要的发展里程碑后，美国宇航局现在准备着手下一代火星探测器的最终设计和建造。 该探测器暂定于2020年夏天发射，并于2021年2月抵达火星。

The Mars 2020 rover will investigate a region of Mars where the ancient environment may have been favorable for microbial life, probing the Martian rocks for evidence of past life. Throughout its investigation, it will collect samples of soil and rock and cache them on the surface for potential return to Earth by a future mission.

　　火星上存在古生态环境可能适合微生物生长的地区， 火星2020探测器将会通过探测火星岩石，来对该地区进行调查，以获得火星上曾存在过生命的证据。 在整个调查过程中，火星2020探测器将会收集土壤、岩石的样本，并将样本贮存在其表面，为将来返回地球任务做好准备。

“The Mars 2020 rover is the first step in a potential multi-mission campaign to return carefully selected and sealed samples of Martian rocks and soil to Earth,” said Geoffrey Yoder, acting associate administrator of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. ?This mission marks a significant milestone in NASA?s Journey to Mars ? to determine whether life has ever existed on Mars, and to advance our goal of sending humans to the Red Planet.?

　　“对于未来的多任务行动，火星2020探测器是其第一步。 这个行动将会仔细挑选和贮存火星的岩石土壤样本并将其带回地球 。”美国宇航局华盛顿科学任务理事会代理副行政官Geoffrey Yoder表示，“此次行动将会成为美国宇航局火星之旅的里程碑。因为它能够判定火星上到底是否存在过生命，来进一步推进我们的火星移民目标。”

To reduce risk and provide cost savings, the 2020 rover will look much like its six-wheeled, one-ton predecessor, Curiosity, but with an array of new science instruments and enhancements to explore Mars as never before. For example, the rover will conduct the first investigation into the usability and availability of Martian resources, including oxygen, in preparation for human missions.

为了降低风险和成本，火星2020探测器将会采用上一代探测器――好奇号火星车的外形（六个车轮、重量为一吨），但同时也会装备一组新的科学装备和强化功能，为前所未有的火星探测做好准备。例如，探测器第一步将会探测火星资源（包括氧气）的可用性和可得性，为今后的载人登火任务做好准备。

Mars 2020 will carry an entirely new subsystem to collect and prepare Martian rocks and soil samples that includes a coring drill on its arm and a rack of sample tubes. About 30 of these sample tubes will be deposited at select locations for return on a potential future sample-retrieval mission. In laboratories on Earth, specimens from Mars could be analyzed for evidence of past life on Mars and possible health hazards for future human missions.

　　火星2020探测器将会装备一整套新型子系统，用以收集和准备火星岩石和土壤样本，这一套系统包括其机械臂上的岩心钻头和一组样本收集管。其中大约有30个样本收集管将会被贮存在特定位置，为将来可能的样本回收任务做好返回准备。 返回地球上的实验室后，研究人员就可以对来自火星的样本进行分析，来判断火星上是否曾经存在过生命，同时也能了解火星上的环境对将来的人工作业任务是否存在可能的健康威胁。

Two science instruments mounted on the rover’s robotic arm will be used to search for signs of past life and determine where to collect samples by analyzing the chemical, mineral, physical and organic characteristics of Martian rocks. On the rover?s mast, two science instruments will provide high-resolution imaging and three types of spectroscopy for characterizing rocks and soil from a distance, also helping to determine which rock targets to explore up close.

机械臂装置的两项科学装备将被用以搜寻存在过的生命迹象，并通过分析火星岩石的化学、矿物、物理和有机特征，来决定收集样本的地点。探测器桅杆上的两项科学装置将会提供高分辨率成像和三种光谱图，用以从一个距离判断岩石和土壤的特征，这同样也能帮助科学家决定哪些岩石最靠近探测器。

A suite of sensors on the mast and deck will monitor weather conditions and the dust environment, and a ground-penetrating radar will assess sub-surface geologic structure.

桅杆和甲板上的传感器将会监测天气状况和粉尘环境，而地表穿透雷达将会评估地下的地质结构。

The Mars 2020 rover will use the same sky crane landing system as Curiosity, but will have the ability to land in more challenging terrain with two enhancements, making more rugged sites eligible as safe landing candidates.

与好奇号一样，火星2020探测器也会采用相同的空中吊车登陆系统。同时，在两项强化装置的帮助下，2020探测器将能够在更有挑战性的地形进行登陆，使得更多崎岖的站点能够成为安全的登陆备选点。

"By adding what’s known as range trigger, we can specify where we want the parachute to open, not just at what velocity we want it to open,” said Allen Chen, Mars 2020 entry, descent and landing lead at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California. "That shrinks our landing area by nearly half."

“通过加装大家认识的范围触发器，我们能够指定的不仅有想打开降落伞时的速度，还有它打开的空点。”加利福尼亚州帕萨迪纳NASA喷漆推进实验室（JPL）火星2020探测器进入、降落和登陆组组长Allen Chen表示，“这帮助我们缩小了近一半的登陆区域。”

Terrain-relative navigation on the new rover will use onboard analysis of downward-looking images taken during descent, matching them to a map that indicates zones designated unsafe for landing.

新一代探测器上的地形导航仪能够随时分析探测器降落过程中所拍摄的鸟瞰图，并将其和地图中指示的不安全登陆区域进行匹配。

"As it is descending, the spacecraft can tell whether it is headed for one of the unsafe zones and divert to safe ground nearby,” said Chen. "With this capability, we can now consider landing areas with unsafe zones that previously would have disqualified the whole area. Also, we can land closer to a specific science destination, for less driving after landing."

　　“在探测器下降过程中，飞船能够判断它是否正往不安全的登陆区域降落，然后会转向至附近的安全区域，”Chen说，“之前我们可能会选择避开整个地区，但现在有了这个技术， 我们可以考虑在不安全区域附近进行着陆。同时，我们也能在更接近特定探测目的地的附近着陆，这样就能减少登陆后在地表行驶的距离。 ”

There will be a suite of cameras and a microphone that will capture the never-before-seen or heard imagery and sounds of the entry, descent and landing sequence. Information from the descent cameras and microphone will provide valuable data to assist in planning future Mars landings, and make for thrilling video.

　　 探测器上还会装载一整套相机和麦克风来捕捉那些在进入火星、下降以及登陆过程中见所未见的图像以及闻所未闻的声音 。这些信息将会为未来登陆火星计划提供有价值的数据，为制作激动人心的视频采集素材。

"Nobody has ever seen what a parachute looks like as it is opening in the Martian atmosphere,” said JPL's David Gruel, assistant flight system manager for the Mars 2020 mission. “So this will provide valuable engineering information.”

“没有人看过在火星大气层中打开的降落伞是什么样的，”来自JPL、负责火星2020计划辅助飞行系统的David Gruel表示，“所以这将会为我们带来宝贵的工程信息。”

Microphones have flown on previous missions to Mars, including NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander in 2008, but never have actually been used on the surface of the Red Planet.

包括2008年NASA凤凰号火星登陆器在内，很多之前的任务都搭载了麦克风前往火星，但是从来没有任何麦克风真正在火星表面使用过。

"This will be a great opportunity for the public to hear the sounds of Mars for the first time, and it could also provide useful engineering information," said Mars 2020 Deputy Project Manager Matt Wallace of JPL.

　　“ 这将有可能让大众首次听到来自火星的声音，同样这也是十分有用的工程信息 ，”JPL火星2020探测器项目项目副指挥Matt Wallace表示。

Once a mission receives preliminary approval, it must go through four rigorous technical and programmatic reviews � known as Key Decision Points (KDP) ― to proceed through the phases of development prior to launch. Phase A involves concept and requirements definition, Phase B is preliminary design and technology development, Phase C is final design and fabrication, and Phase D is system assembly, testing, and launch. Mars 2020 has just passed its KDP-C milestone.

　　任何NASA任务一旦获得初步批准，那么它必须经历四个严格的技术和项目审查――关键决定点（Key Decision Points-KDP），来进行任务发射前的各项发展阶段。阶段A涉及概念和要求的定义，阶段B包括初步设计和技术发展，阶段C是最终设计和建造，而阶段D是系统装配、测试以及发射。 火星2020探测器任务已经通过KDP阶段C项审查 。

"Since Mars 2020 is leveraging the design and some spare hardware from Curiosity, a significant amount of the mission's heritage components have already been built during Phases A and B,” said George Tahu, Mars 2020 program executive at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "With the KDP to enter Phase C completed, the project is proceeding with final design and construction of the new systems, as well as the rest of the heritage elements for the mission."

“由于火星2020探测器使用了好奇号的设计和一些备用硬件，该任务大量组件在阶段A和阶段B就已经被准备好了。”华盛顿NASA总部火星2020项目执行官George Tahu表示，“随着阶段C的完成，该项目已经进入新系统和其余任务元素的最终设计和建造步骤。”

The Mars 2020 mission is part of NASA's Mars Exploration Program. Driven by scientific discovery, the program currently includes two active rovers and three NASA spacecraft orbiting Mars. NASA also plans to launch a stationary Mars lander in 2018, InSight, to study the deep interior of Mars.

火星2020任务是NASA火星探测计划的一部分。出于科学探索的目的，该计划现已包括两架现役探测器和三架美国宇航局火星轨道飞船。美国宇航局也计划于2018年发射火星固定探测器“洞察”号用以研究火星深层内部结构。

JPL manages the Mars 2020 project and the Mars Exploration Program for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington.

　　目前，喷射推进实验室在为美国宇航局华盛顿科学任务理事会管理火星2020计划和火星探测计划。（ 翻译：闵俊齐 校对：Darkwalker ）

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