《宇宙飛船歷史性登陸彗星》
After traveling 10 years and hundreds of millions of kilometers, a small robotic spacecraft has for the first time landed on the surface of a comet, a solar system object made of ice and rock.
經過十年時間上億公裡的旅行，一個小機器人宇宙飛船首次登陸彗星表面，這個太陽系物體由巖石和冰構成。
The probe launched from the European Space Agency’s main Rosetta spaceship early Wednesday. The spaceship is designed to carefully study the appearance and materials that make up the Comet 67P/Churymov-Gerasimenko.
這個探測器周三早些時候從歐洲航天局的羅塞塔飛船發射。該飛船被設計用來詳細研究彗星的外觀以及彗星67P/Churymov-Gerasimenko的結構組成。
Scientists worried the probe might not land on solid ground but early reports say the Philae research probe is in good condition.
科學家們擔心該探測器可能不會在堅實地面上降落，但是早期報告顯示Philae研究探測器狀況良好。
Stephan Ulamec, of the German Aerospace Center, announced the news. He said the landing equipment and a special device meant to secure the spacecraft to the comet had deployed.
在德國的航空航天中心，Stephan Ulamec宣布了這一消息。他說著陸設備以及確保飛船安全的專用設備已經安放完畢。
"Philae is talking to us, first things he told us is that the harpoons have been fired, rewound and that the landing gear has been moved inside, so we are sitting on the surface, Philae is talking to us, more data to come."
「Philae正跟我們報告，他告訴我們的第一件事是叉架燒壞了，逆向帶和起落架被移到了裡面，所以能夠接觸至表面，Philae正跟我們報告，更多的數據將會發送過來。」
Early on Wednesday, ground controllers at the European Space Agency operations center in Germany confirmed that Philae had separated from the Rosetta ship. The probe then began a tense trip toward the comet and landed on its surface hours later. The attempt to land on the comet was considered risky not only because scientists were unsure of the surface, but because of problems with thrusters used to land the probe.
周三早，在德國的歐洲空間局指揮中心的地面控制人員證實，Philae已經從羅塞塔飛船分離出去。該探測器隨後開始對彗星的緊張行程並在幾小時後降落在表面。登陸彗星被認為很危險，不僅因為科學家們對其表面不熟悉，而且因為用於探測器登陸的推進器問題。
Scientists and many officials gathered at the European Space Agency’s Operations Center in Darmstadt, Germany. After the landing was announced, there was cheering and applause.
在德國達姆施塔特的歐洲航天局運營中心，科學家們和官員們聚集在這裡。宣布著陸後，全場一片歡呼和掌聲。
European Space Agency Director Thomas Reiter thanked the many groups who had been involved in the mission.
歐洲航天局局長Thomas Reiter感謝了參與這次任務的很多組織機構。
Jim Green of NASA praised the landing as an important step in space exploration. "Let’s learn about the environment we are in. It’s these steps that will lead us beyond this planet, on to Mars and out into the Solar System."
美國航天航空局的Jim Green稱讚這次著陸是太空探索的重要一步。「讓我們了解我們所在的環境。這些步驟將引領我們在地球之外，到火星直至太陽系。」
（今年美國「旅行者1號」探測器將飛離太陽系）
Rosetta has been orbiting the Comet 67P/Churymov-Gerasimenko since August. However, the mission started with the spaceship’s launch in March of 2004. The spaceship circled the sun until it was in position to meet with the comet. Information from the European Space Agency shows the spacecraft’s trip has taken it far beyond the orbit Mars.
自八月份起羅塞塔一直繞彗星67P / churymov gerasimenko飛行。不過這項任務始於2004年3月的飛船發射。宇宙飛船環繞太陽直至彗星位置。歐洲航天局的信息顯示該飛船的航行已經大幅度超越火星軌道。
The comet currently is traveling at a distance of more than 400 million kilometers from Earth. At such a distance, communication between the spacecraft and earth took more than half an hour. Controllers waited and worried before receiving confirmation sent from Philae that it had landed safely.
彗星現在正在距離地球4億公裡以上的太空旅行。在這樣的距離，飛船與地球之間的通訊需要半個小時。控制方在收到Philae發送的安全降落信號前一直在緊張等待。
Now, the probe will begin a series of scientific experiments. Philae will examine the material that makes up the comet looking for organic, or carbon-based material, and inorganic materials. The Rosetta mission cost the European Space Agency, or ESA, $1.7 billion dollars.
現在，探測器將開始一系列科學實驗。Philae將探索構成彗星的有機或碳基材料，以及無機材料。歐洲航天局為羅塞塔任務花費了17億美元。
The main Rosetta spacecraft will follow Comet 67P for the next year and observe it as it heads toward the sun. However, Rosetta will not approach the sun too closely. Its closest approach to our star is still outside the orbit of Earth.
羅塞塔主飛船將在明年跟隨並觀察彗星67P，它將會朝著太陽。不過羅塞塔不會太靠近太陽。靠近地球的最近距離仍在地球軌道之外。
The Philae probe is the result of a joint effort by scientists and space agencies in many countries from the European Union and the United States. Three experiments on the spaceship come from the U.S. space agency NASA.
Philae探測器是歐盟和美國等許多國家科學家和航空機構共同努力的結果。飛船上有三個實驗來自美國航空航天局。
Photos sent back to Earth from Rosetta show Comet 67P’s surface as a rough world of rocky formations and ice.
從羅塞塔傳回地球的照片顯示彗星67P表面是由巖石地層和冰構成的粗糙結構。
Rosetta is named after the stone that helped unlock the hieroglyphic language of the ancient Egyptians. ESA Director Thomas Reiter has this to say about the mission:
羅塞塔的命名源於一塊石頭，它幫助解答了古埃及人的象形文字。歐洲航天局主任Thomas Reiter介紹了它的使命：
"It’s aim, of course, to unlock the secrets hidden within the icy treasure chest of a 4.6 billion years （old） object, to study its make-up and its history. To search for clues as to our own origins."
「它的目的當然是解開一個有460億年歷史的對象冰冷珍貴的秘密，研究它的組成和歷史。尋找我們起源的線索。」
I’m Mario Ritter.
我是Mario Ritter。
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