NASA下一代火星探測器將定於2020年發射

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.

這幅圖片展示的是火星2020探測器計算機輔助設計圖。該設計繼承了於2012年登陸火星的NASA好奇號火星探測器諸多成功特點，但也為執行2020年火星任務的新目標，增加了新的科學儀器和一套採樣系統。

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.

經歷了廣泛的項目審查過程和通過一個主要的發展里程碑後，美國宇航局現在準備著手下一代火星探測器的最終設計和建造。該探測器暫定於2020年夏天發射，並於2021年2月抵達火星。

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.

火星上存在古生態環境可能適合微生物生長的地區，火星2020探測器將會通過探測火星岩石，來對該地區進行調查，以獲得火星上曾存在過生命的證據。在整個調查過程中，火星2020探測器將會收集土壤、岩石的樣本，並將樣本貯存在其表面，為將來返回地球任務做好準備。

「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.?

「對於未來的多任務行動，火星2020探測器是其第一步。這個行動將會仔細挑選和貯存火星的岩石土壤樣本並將其帶回地球。」美國宇航局華盛頓科學任務理事會代理副行政官Geoffrey Yoder表示，「此次行動將會成為美國宇航局火星之旅的里程碑。因為它能夠判定火星上到底是否存在過生命，來進一步推進我們的火星移民目標。」

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.

為了降低風險和成本，火星2020探測器將會採用上一代探測器——好奇號火星車的外形（六個車輪、重量為一噸），但同時也會裝備一組新的科學裝備和強化功能，為前所未有的火星探測做好準備。例如，探測器第一步將會探測火星資源（包括氧氣）的可用性和可得性，為今後的載人登火任務做好準備。

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探測器將會裝備一整套新型子系統，用以收集和準備火星岩石和土壤樣本，這一套系統包括其機械臂上的岩心鑽頭和一組樣本收集管。其中大約有30個樣本收集管將會被貯存在特定位置，為將來可能的樣本回收任務做好返回準備。返回地球上的實驗室後，研究人員就可以對來自火星的樣本進行分析，來判斷火星上是否曾經存在過生命，同時也能了解火星上的環境對將來的人工作業任務是否存在可能的健康威脅。

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.

機械臂裝置的兩項科學裝備將被用以搜尋存在過的生命跡象，並通過分析火星岩石的化學、礦物、物理和有機特徵，來決定收集樣本的地點。探測器桅杆上的兩項科學裝置將會提供高解析度成像和三種光譜圖，用以從一個距離判斷岩石和土壤的特徵，這同樣也能幫助科學家決定哪些岩石最靠近探測器。

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.

桅杆和甲板上的感測器將會監測天氣狀況和粉塵環境，而地表穿透雷達將會評估地下的地質結構。

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.

與好奇號一樣，火星2020探測器也會採用相同的空中吊車登陸系統。同時，在兩項強化裝置的幫助下，2020探測器將能夠在更有挑戰性的地形進行登陸，使得更多崎嶇的站點能夠成為安全的登陸備選點。

"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."

「通過加裝大家認識的範圍觸發器，我們能夠指定的不僅有想打開降落傘時的速度，還有它打開的空點。」加利福尼亞州帕薩迪納NASA噴漆推進實驗室（JPL）火星2020探測器進入、降落和登陸組組長Allen Chen表示，「這幫助我們縮小了近一半的登陸區域。」

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.

新一代探測器上的地形導航儀能夠隨時分析探測器降落過程中所拍攝的鳥瞰圖，並將其和地圖中指示的不安全登陸區域進行匹配。

"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."

「在探測器下降過程中，飛船能夠判斷它是否正往不安全的登陸區域降落，然後會轉向至附近的安全區域，」Chen說，「之前我們可能會選擇避開整個地區，但現在有了這個技術，我們可以考慮在不安全區域附近進行著陸。同時，我們也能在更接近特定探測目的地的附近著陸，這樣就能減少登陸後在地錶行駛的距離。」

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.

探測器上還會裝載一整套相機和麥克風來捕捉那些在進入火星、下降以及登陸過程中見所未見的圖像以及聞所未聞的聲音。這些信息將會為未來登陸火星計劃提供有價值的數據，為製作激動人心的視頻採集素材。

"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.」

「沒有人看過在火星大氣層中打開的降落傘是什麼樣的，」來自JPL、負責火星2020計劃輔助飛行系統的David Gruel表示，「所以這將會為我們帶來寶貴的工程信息。」

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鳳凰號火星登陸器在內，很多之前的任務都搭載了麥克風前往火星，但是從來沒有任何麥克風真正在火星表面使用過。

"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.

「這將有可能讓大眾首次聽到來自火星的聲音，同樣這也是十分有用的工程信息，」JPL火星2020探測器項目項目副指揮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任務一旦獲得初步批准，那麼它必須經歷四個嚴格的技術和項目審查——關鍵決定點（Key Decision Points-KDP），來進行任務發射前的各項發展階段。階段A涉及概念和要求的定義，階段B包括初步設計和技術發展，階段C是最終設計和建造，而階段D是系統裝配、測試以及發射。火星2020探測器任務已經通過KDP階段C項審查。

"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."

「由於火星2020探測器使用了好奇號的設計和一些備用硬體，該任務大量組件在階段A和階段B就已經被準備好了。」華盛頓NASA總部火星2020項目執行官George Tahu表示，「隨著階段C的完成，該項目已經進入新系統和其餘任務元素的最終設計和建造步驟。」

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任務是NASA火星探測計劃的一部分。出於科學探索的目的，該計劃現已包括兩架現役探測器和三架美國宇航局火星軌道飛船。美國宇航局也計劃於2018年發射火星固定探測器「洞察」號用以研究火星深層內部結構。

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

目前，噴射推進實驗室在為美國宇航局華盛頓科學任務理事會管理火星2020計劃和火星探測計劃。（翻譯：閔俊齊校對：Darkwalker）

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