What the Hell Is China Doing on the Dark Side of the Moon?
中國到底在月球暗面做什麼？
One year ago last month, a Chinese robot touched down on the dark side of the moon.
It was the first probe to land on the side of the moon that permanently faces away from Earth as both bodies circle around the sun. And if Beijing realizes its ambitions in coming years, it won’t be the last time it makes history—and threatens U.S. dominance in space.
The Chang’e 4 probe and the Yutu 2 rover it carried have stayed busy photographing and scanning minerals, cultivating cotton, potato and rapeseeds, growing yeast, and hatching fruit-fly eggs in the moon’s low gravity.
The experiments are intriguing in their own right, but China’s real agenda is more than scientific. For decades, Beijing has been building the infrastructure for an eventual manned mission to the moon, effectively duplicating what the United States achieved in 1969 and hopes to achieve again before 2024.
The reasons for this latter-day space race are clear, experts said, even if the real-world pay-off isn’t.
一年前的上個月，一箇中國機器人在月球暗面著陸。
這是第一個著陸在月球另一側的探測器，由於兩個天體都圍繞太陽旋轉，月球暗面永遠都遠離地球。如果北京在未來幾年實現其雄心，這不會是它最後一次創造歷史，將會威脅美國在太空的主導地位。
嫦娥四號探測器和它攜帶的玉兔二號探測器一直忙於拍攝和掃描礦物，在月球的低重力環境下種植棉花、土豆和油菜籽，培育酵母，孵化果蠅卵。
這些實驗本身就很有趣，但中國真正的目的不僅僅是科學。幾十年來，北京一直在為最終的載人登月任務建設基礎設施，實際上只是在重複美國1969年的成就，希望在2024年之前再次實現。
專家們說，造成這種現代太空競賽的原因是顯而易見的，即使現實世界的結果並非如此。
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“Space has always been symbolic of leadership, through prestige, that translates into strategic influence,” Joan Johnson-Freese, a space expert at the Naval War College in Rhode Island, told The Daily Beast. “China seeks to be acknowledged as the technology leader in Asia, and there is no more visible place to do that than space.”
While the current, high-profile U.S. moon mission is mired in Trump-era politics, China’s keeps plodding forward with fewer bold pronouncements and more actual accomplishments.
As Chang’e 4 and Yutu 2 work away, the China National Space Administration is quietly planning a follow-up probe. Chang’e 5 could blast off this year. Unlike the one-way Chang’e 4, which is limited to bouncing back data via a relay satellite, its successor is designed to collect samples and bring them back to Earth.
Meanwhile, the Chinese space agency has resumed work on its Tiangong 3 space stationand is also testing a new manned capsule for deep-space missions.
木星的衛星上埋藏的海洋能指向地球之外的生命嗎?
羅德島海軍戰爭學院的空間專家瓊·約翰遜-弗里斯在接受《每日野獸》採訪時表示:“太空一直是領導力的象徵，通過聲望，轉化為戰略影響力。中國希望成為公認的亞洲區技術領導，而要做到這一點，沒有比太空更矚目的地方了。”
儘管目前備受矚目的美國登月計劃深陷特朗普時代的政治泥潭，但中國的太空計劃卻在不斷進步，大膽的表態越來越少，取得的實際成果卻越來越多。
隨著“嫦娥四號”和“玉兔二號”的升空，中國國家航天局正悄悄地計劃進行後續探測。今年嫦娥五號可能發射升空。與單向“嫦娥四號”不同，它僅限於通過中繼衛星傳回數據，“嫦娥四號”後繼衛星的目的是收集樣本並將其帶回地球。
與此同時，中國航天局已經恢復了天宮3號空間站的工作，並正在測試用於深空任務的新型載人太空艙。
When the 22-year-old, U.S.-led International Space Station finally craps out some time in the late 2020s or early 2030s, Tiangong could become the only permanent habitat in low Earth orbit. If the United States wants to maintain a significant human presence over Earth after the ISS, it might have no choice but to ask China for permission to embark.
That would make Tiangong the “de facto international space station,” Johnson-Freese argued. Neither NASA nor the Chinese space agency responded to requests for comment.
“China is in a no-lose situation,” Johnson-Freese added via email. “It can ‘beat’ the U.S. (back) to the Moon—or not—but soon thereafter be able to say anything the U.S. can do, we can do, too.”
To be clear, the United States isn’t standing still in space. NASA still leads the International Space Station and in recent years convinced Congress to keep the station in service as long as its basic components were safe and economical.
當22歲的美國主導的國際空間站最終在21世紀20年代末30年代初退役時，天宮可能成為低地球軌道上唯一的永久性棲息地。如果美國在國際空間站退役之後登上月球，它可能別無選擇，只能請求中國允許其登入。
這將使天宮成為“事實上的國際空間站”，約翰遜-弗里斯說。美國國家航空航天局和中國航天局都沒有回應記者的置評請求。
“中國正處於不輸不贏的局面，”約翰遜-弗里斯通過電子郵件補充道。“它可以‘打敗’美國(重返月球)——或者不，但很快就能說美國能做到的，我們也能做到。”
需要明確的是，美國並非在太空項目中停滯不前。美國國家航空和宇宙航行局仍然領導著國際空間站，並在最近幾年說服了國會，只要空間站的基本組件安全經濟，它就可以繼續運行。
The U.S. space agency is also deploying a new space telescope and sending probes across the solar system as part of an ever-expanding search for extraterrestrial life.
And then there’s the moon. NASA for years has mulled returning human explorers to the lunar surface for the first time since 1972. Not only is there plenty of science to be done, but the moon could also function as a staging base for astronauts heading to Mars. To say nothing of the commercial value of the moon’s minerals.
Last year, the Trump administration slapped an arbitrary 2024 deadline on a new manned lunar landing. That year, of course, represents the close of a possible second term for Trump. Experts actually tend to agree 2024 is possible, but only if Congress coughs up $30 billion—and if there are zero problems developing all the hardware a moon landing requires. Tools like a new heavy rocket, a manned capsule, and a lander.
美國航天局還部署了一架新的太空望遠鏡，並向整個太陽系發射探測器，作為不斷擴大的外星生命搜尋行動的一部分。
然後是月球。多年來，NASA一直在考慮讓人類探險家重返月球表面。不僅有大量的科學工作要做，而且月球還可以作為宇航員前往火星的中途基地。更不用說月球礦物的商業價值了。
去年，特朗普政府設定了2024年為新的載人登月的最後期限。當然，那一年標誌著特朗普可能的第二個任期的結束。專家們實際上傾向於認為2024年有可能，但前提是美國國會拿出300億美元，而且在開發登月所需的所有硬件方面，如新的重型火箭、載人太空艙和著陸器等工具都不存在任何問題。
Trump’s Moon shot has already shown signs of falling apart. Developing the manned lander was always the riskiest part, according to John Logsdon, a professor emeritus of political science and international affairs at George Washington University and a former NASA adviser. NASA hasn’t built one in nearly half a century.
Wary of throwing good money after bad, Congress approved only half of the billion dollars NASA wanted for the mission in 2020. “Our appetite doesn’t match our allocations,” Logsdon told The Daily Beast.
China’s more deliberate journey into space could be an attractive model for other, smaller space-faring countries. For decades, the United States has been the world leader in space, organizing other nations—including rivals like Russia—to explore the galaxy for the benefit of all humankind.
特朗普的登月計劃已經顯示出分崩離析的跡象。喬治華盛頓大學政治學和國際事務榮譽退休教授、前NASA顧問約翰•羅格斯登說，研發載人著陸器一直是風險最大的部分。NASA已經有近半個世紀沒建過了。
出於謹慎，國會只批准了NASA在2020年需要的10億美元中的一半。“我們的野心和我們的配置不匹配，”羅格斯登告訴《每日野獸》。
中國更為慎重的太空之旅可能會成為對其他規模較小的航天國傢俱有吸引力的模式。幾十年來，美國一直是世界太空的領導者，組織其他國家——包括俄羅斯這樣的競爭對手——為了全人類的利益探索銀河系。
“As U.S. leadership continues to erode under President Trump, other nations, especially Japan and the E.U., may begin to consider acting more independently and join China in more substantial cooperative space projects,” Gregory Kulacki, a space expert with the Massachusetts-based Union of Concerned Scientists, told The Daily Beast.
It could be decades before the end-game is clear, Christopher Impey, a University of Arizona astronomer, told The Daily Beast. “If you take the long view, which the Chinese always do, in 50 to 100 years we will be living in the solar system and there will be a substantial economic activity off-Earth,” he said.
“They want to be first,” Impey added of the Chinese, “and they want to be in the driver’s seat for that future.”
“在特朗普總統的領導下，美國的領導地位繼續削弱，其他國家，尤其是日本和歐盟馬薩諸塞州憂國憂國科學家聯盟的空間專家Gregory Kulacki告訴《每日野獸》。
亞利桑那大學的天文學家Christopher Impey告訴《每日野獸》，遊戲結束可能需要幾十年的時間。他說:“如果從長遠來看，這就是中國人一貫的做法，50到100年後，我們將生活在太陽系中，地球外將有大量的經濟活動。”
“他們想要成為第一，”Impey補充道，“他們想要掌控未來。”
美國雅虎網站網友評論：
David
In the grand scheme of things the moon is just a destination. It may unlock some mysteries as to how the earth and solar system developed but at the end of the day it is just an exercise to practice space travel. So it is good China wants to make the challenge. Only if all nations could all work together in collaboration would we see accelerated scientific achievements.
從長遠來看，月球只是一個目的地。它可能會解開地球和太陽系如何演變的一些謎團，但說到底，它只是開展太空旅行的練習。因此，中國想要挑戰是件好事。只有所有國家都通力合作，我們才能看到科學成就的加速發展。
Prospector16 hours ago
Title: "What the Hell Is China Doing on the Dark Side of the Moon?"
Third paragraph: "The Chang’e 4 probe and the Yutu 2 rover it carried have stayed busy photographing and scanning minerals, cultivating cotton, potato and rapeseeds, growing yeast, and hatching fruit-fly eggs in the moon’s low gravity."
標題:“中國到底在月球的暗面做什麼?”
第三段:“嫦娥四號探測器和它攜帶的玉兔二號探測器一直忙於拍攝和掃描礦物，在月球的低重力環境下種植棉花、土豆和油菜籽，種植酵母，孵化果蠅卵。”
Logician16 hours ago
Setting up fast food outlets for astronauts on their way to Mars?
在通往火星的路上為宇航員開快餐店？
josh17 hours ago
if we were able to go to the moon wayyy back then on that really primitive tech.. it should be alot easier to get there now, seems like its taking a while....
如果我們能回到那個時候，用那種原始的技術登上月球…現在去那裡應該容易多了，似乎需要一段時間……
John18 hours ago
The side of the moon that we never see. No telling who has set up shop over there.
我們從未見過的月球暗面。不知道誰在那邊開店了。
Tim18 hours ago
Sweet. Chinese can move to the moon and find some more unusual things to eat.
不錯。中國人可以搬到月球上，尋找一些更不尋常的食物。
Bosco117 hours ago
How do signals from the "back" side of the moon get to earth? Remember when Apollo 13 was using the gravity of the moon to sling shot back to Earth? Wasn't is about 12 minutes when they were out of contact with Earth on the back side of the Moon?
月球背面的信號是如何到達地球的?還記得阿波羅13號在月球引力的作用下發射回地球嗎?他們在月球背面與地球失去聯繫的時間是12分鐘嗎?
michael16 hours ago
We must FIRST start to see other people from other countries as humans and brothers and sisters and not “Chinese” or “American” because until that happens our real potential won’t be reached! Only through teamwork and hard work will we conquer space.
我們必須首先把其他國家的人當作人類和兄弟姐妹，而不是“中國人”或“美國人”，因為只有這樣，我們才能真正發揮我們的潛力！只有通過團隊合作和努力工作，我們才能征服太空。
curt17 hours ago
You think by now we would have some sort of base on the moon.
你以為現在我們已經在月球上建立了某種基地吧。
John18 hours ago
Maybe Pink Floyd knows?
也許平克·弗洛伊德知道?
joec106617 hours ago
Screw the moon, let's send manned missions to the sun
去XX的月球，讓我們向太陽發射載人任務。
Shelman18 hours ago
Are they building a Dollar Genral Store?
他們正在建一元店嗎?
Sue14 hours ago
PLEASE stop putting out misinformation about astronomy!
There is no such thing as a "dark side of the moon"!
It's NEAR side, and FAR side!
請停止發佈關於天文學的錯誤信息!
根本就沒有“月球陰暗面”這種東西!
只有近地面和原地面！
2bones17 hours ago
Billions of tons of trash go into our oceans every year and everyone is worried about the moon? Let's focus on cleaning up our own planet first before we go and destroy another.
每年都有數十億噸的垃圾進入我們的海洋，可人人都在擔心月球。讓我們先把我們自己的星球清理乾淨，然後再去摧毀下一個星球吧。
Clyde Kevorkian17 hours ago
Diversity, our greatest strength, will make it impossible for the US to put a man on the moon by 2024 ...
多樣性，是我們最大的優勢，將使美國不可能在2024年之前把人送上月球。
SPECTRE17 hours ago
It's "the FAR side of the Moon," not "the dark side."
是“月球的遠端”，不是“陰暗面”。
SD Native12 hours ago
The US military has its own spacecraft, launch, and orbital capacity that seems to be doing quite well. NASA is the scientific branch of the US space effort: "For decades, the United States has been the world leader in space, organizing other nations—including rivals like Russia—to explore the galaxy for the benefit of all humankind. "
PS-Can any "journalist" write an article that isn't filled with anti-Trump rhetoric?
美國軍方有自己的航天器，發射，軌道能力，似乎做得很好。NASA是美國太空計劃的科學分支:“幾十年來，美國一直是世界太空的領導者，組織其他國家——包括俄羅斯等競爭對手——為了全人類的利益探索銀河系。”
ps:“記者”能不能寫一篇不充斥反特朗普言論的文章嗎?
My Two Cents16 hours ago
Pink Floyd "Dark Side of the Moon." Back in the day this is what was considered Grammy material, not today's tripe.
平克·弗洛伊德的《月之暗面》。在過去，月球暗面被認為是格萊美的素材，而不是今天的廢話。
charles18 hours ago
The Moon doesn't have a "dark side". The Moon has day and night, in roughly a 28 Earth day period.
The Chinese probe is on the "far side". Being tidally locked, one side of the Moon constantly faces the Earth.
月球沒有“陰暗面”。月球有晝夜，大約有28個地球日。
中國在探索“遠地端”。由於被週期限制，月球的一面一直面向地球。
Mike12 hours ago
So, thanks to China, our space program will get funding and continue to operate.
所以，多虧了中國，我們的太空計劃將獲得資金並繼續運作。
paul16 hours ago
Better send Space Force to check it out!
最好派太空部隊去看看!
Donald18 hours ago
Can´t journalists get it through their heads that there is no "dark" side of the Moon. The far side that we never see has just as much sunlight as the near side.
記者們就不能想明白嗎，月球沒有“陰暗”面。我們從未見過的遠端和近端都享受同樣多的陽光。
Fido16 hours ago
Read the 2nd paragraph. "China threatens U.S. dominance in space"?
So, China shouldn't explore space? They're not allowed? So China should measure what US is doing and stay 2 steps back?
Unbelievable
讀讀第二段。“中國威脅美國在太空領域的主導地位”?
這麼說，中國不該探索太空嗎?他們不被允許嗎?所以中國應該看看美國在做什麼，然後自覺退後兩步?
令人難以置信。
Osirus17 hours ago
FAR side of the moon, you fool. Both sides see light and dark.
月球的遠端，你個傻瓜。月球的兩半面都一樣有光明和黑暗。
I'm Flummoxed17 hours ago
China is obviously building their own Moonbase Alpha.
中國顯然正在建造自己的月球基地阿爾法。
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