VOA慢速英语--美国宇航局计划购买从私人公司开采的月球资源

The United States is offering to pay private companies to mine rocks and other resources on the moon.

The U.S. space agency NASA published an official government listing for the mining proposal on September 10. NASA officials are asking interested companies to collect rocks, soil and other objects from the surface of the moon. The lunar materials would then be sold to the space agency.

NASA administrator¹ Jim Bridenstine says the project was created "for the purpose of demonstrating" that mined resources can be collected. He spoke² at a conference organized by the Secure World Foundation, a space policy organization.

The proposals would not involve private companies sending workers to the moon. Instead, NASA wants the businesses to provide robots to be launched into space by the space agency or private companies.

NASA has asked companies from around the world to present proposals to collect 50 to 500 grams of lunar material from anywhere on the moon's surface. The companies will be required to provide images showing how the material is collected.

In a statement published on a NASA website, Bridenstine said the agency's goal is to gain control of the collected materials "before 2024." He added that officials would decide later how and when the materials could be transported from the moon.

Proposals are not limited to American companies and NASA "may make one or more awards," he said.

Bridenstein repeated NASA's goal of landing the first woman and next man on the moon by 2024 as part of the space agency's Artemis program. NASA also has set a goal of setting up a long-term base on the moon by 2028. From there, it hopes to launch a series of space operations, including possible flights to Mars.

Last May, NASA released the main ideas for what is being called the Artemis Accords. It hopes the ideas can lead to an international agreement on how people will live and work on the moon in the future. Such an agreement could give companies rights to own the moon resources they mine. For example, businesses doing work for NASA could use the moon's water ice to produce rocket fuel or mine lunar minerals for other purposes.

Bridenstine said the agency's plans are permitted under the 1967 "Outer Space Treaty," which governs international space exploration. The treaty states that outer space – including the moon and other celestial³ bodies – "shall be free for exploration and use by all states." The agreement bars any single nation from claiming ownership of such objects.

NASA's plan to send robots to mine resources is meant to "fuel a new era of exploration and discovery" and help all of humanity, Bridenstine said.

The space agency said it will consider the mined resources the property of the companies until they are sold to NASA. Then, the materials would become "the sole property of NASA."

"They are paying the company to sell them a rock that the company owns. That's the product," said Joanne Gabrynowicz, former chief editor of The Journal of Space Law.

She spoke to Reuters news agency. She added that, "A company has to decide for itself if it's worth taking the financial and technological⁴ risk to do this to sell a rock."

Words in This Story

celestial body – n. an object located outside of Earth's atmosphere, such as the moon, stars or other planets

era – n. a long time or period of history

sole – adj. only

1 administrator   

n.经营管理者，行政官员

参考例句：

• The role of administrator absorbed much of Ben's energy.行政职务耗掉本很多精力。
• He has proved himself capable as administrator.他表现出管理才能。

2 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

3 celestial   

adj.天体的；天上的

参考例句：

• The rosy light yet beamed like a celestial dawn.玫瑰色的红光依然象天上的朝霞一样绚丽。
• Gravity governs the motions of celestial bodies.万有引力控制着天体的运动。

4 technological   

adj.技术的；工艺的

参考例句：

• A successful company must keep up with the pace of technological change.一家成功的公司必须得跟上技术变革的步伐。
• Today,the pace of life is increasing with technological advancements.当今， 随着科技进步，生活节奏不断增快。