After traveling more than seven months in space, Tianwen 1 is one step closer to Mars! Tianwen 1, China’s first Mars probe, successfully entered Mars orbit in February, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA). It will stay in orbit for about three months before landing on the red planet.
經(jīng)過7個多月的太空飛行，天問一號離火星又近了一步！據(jù)國家航天局消息，我國首個火星探測器天問一號已于今年二月成功進入火星軌道?，F(xiàn)階段天問一號還將環(huán)繞火星軌道飛行約3個月，然后登陸這顆紅色星球。

A small step on the red planet will be a big step for human beings. Humans have launched 46 Mars exploration missions since October 1960, but only 19 of them have been successful, according to China Daily. It’s China’s first spacecraft to Mars, and the missions are rather ambitious. Tianwen 1 aims to achieve “orbiting, landing, and roving” all in one journey, which will make the country the world’s first to accomplish all three goals with one probe, mission scientists said.
在這顆紅色星球上的一小步，是人類的一大步。據(jù)《中國日報》報道，自1960年10月至今，人類共組織實施了46次火星探測任務，但只有19次成功。這是中國首個火星探測器，也被寄予了厚望。探測任務專家表示，天問一號計劃實現(xiàn)“繞、著、巡”的一攬子計劃，如果成功，我國將成為全球首個一次性完成“繞、落、巡”三大任務的國家。

Among the three tasks, touchdown on the red planet is the most difficult. The result mainly depends on the “breathtaking seven minutes,” which will deploy multiple cutting-edge technologies and accurate timing of each action, including the burning of engines and opening of parachutes to ensure a safe landing, according to the Global Times.
在三大任務中，最難的一項是在火星表面著陸。據(jù)《環(huán)球時報》報道，著陸成功與否主要取決于“恐怖七分鐘”，這期間會運用數(shù)種前沿技術，每一步都需精確定時，如啟動發(fā)動機，展開降落傘等，確保安全著陸。

The previous success of Chang’e 5 has accumulated experience in this regard which “boosts our confidence”, Wang Ya’nan, chief editor of Beijing-based Aerospace Knowledge magazine, told the Global Times.
嫦娥五號此前的成功為這方面積累了經(jīng)驗，并“增強了我們的自信，”《航空知識》雜志主編王亞南在接受《環(huán)球時報》采訪時如此表示。

February was Mars month. NASA’s Perseverance Rover landed on Mars on Feb 19, and China’s Tianwen 1 and United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) Hope have arrived within orbit of the red planet. Although they started their Mars journeys at almost the same time, their missions vary. The Mars mission Hope Probe successfully entered the orbit of Mars on Feb 9, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) announced. Perseverance landed in a deep crater near the planet’s equator called Jezero and will collect samples of rock and soil for further research, according to the BBC. Tianwen 1’s ultimate goal is to land a rover on Mars in May or June, and it will conduct scientific investigations on Mars’ soil, geological structure, environment, atmosphere and water, according to China Daily.
2月是火星月。2月19日，美國航空航天局的“毅力號”火星車登陸火星，而中國的天問一號與阿聯(lián)酋“希望號”都進入了火星軌道。盡管這些探測器的發(fā)射時間相近，但它們的任務卻大不相同。穆罕默德·本·拉希德航天中心宣布，2月9日，“希望號火星探測器成功進入火星軌道。據(jù)英國廣播公司報道，“毅力號”著陸在火星赤道附近一個名為耶澤羅的深坑，將收集巖石和土壤樣本，用以進一步研究?！吨袊請蟆穲蟮婪Q，天問一號的最終目標是于今年五月到六月?lián)駲C著陸火星，并對火星的土壤、地質構造、環(huán)境、大氣層以及水進行科學調研。

“When we step into the far planets of the solar system, the magnitude of the resources and timeline required will take a global commitment,” US Congressman Frank Lucas said, highlighting the importance of international cooperation in space.
“當我們踏上太陽系中的遙遠行星時，所需的大量資源與時間需要全球共同努力，”美國議員弗蘭克·盧卡斯在強調國際航天合作的重要性時如此說到。

以上文章內容選自《21世紀學生英文報高中版》，詳情請見《21世紀學生英文報高中版》高三741期