美国国家公共电台 NPR--NASA's spacesuits are getting a makeover — the first since the '80s

NASA's spacesuits are getting a makeover — the first since the '80s

Transcript¹

When astronauts step onto the moon in 2025, they'll have a new look — a redesigned, snazzier spacesuit.

A MART?NEZ, HOST:

Fifty years after NASA's last mission sending astronauts to the moon, the space agency is now preparing to put a crew back on the lunar surface in 2025.

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

And the Artemis III astronauts will have new spacesuits for the occasion. It's NASA's first makeover of its in-space apparel in decades.

CARLY MEGINNIS: This spacesuit, from the outside, is probably going to look a lot like what people are used to seeing a spacesuit look like.

MART?NEZ: OK. But inside, NASA engineer Carly Meginnis says the crews that suit up will discover a big difference.

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MARK GREELEY: And now, the moment you've all been waiting for.

(CHEERING)

MART?NEZ: In a demonstration² of the new suit, an engineer does squats³ and bends down to pick up a rock.

MEGINNIS: So we want the person to be able to go about and do their job, do their science, do their mission without being hindered by the suit. So the intention is that the new suit enables enhanced mobility⁴, wider range of motion, more suit flexibility⁵.

MARTIN: Space historian Andrew Chaikin says the next-generation suit is also a lot sleeker⁶ than the old model.

ANDREW CHAIKIN: The Apollo spacesuits had kind of a bulky look to them, a lot of connectors for the oxygen hoses sticking out at various places, things like that.

MART?NEZ: NASA's partner, the commercial aerospace⁷ company Axiom Space, came up with a display model that's black with orange and blue details. I've got a velvet⁸ tracksuit that looks just like that. Now, the real suit will be white to reflect heat and protect astronauts from temperature extremes in space.

CHAIKIN: Really, a spacesuit is like a wearable spacecraft.

MARTIN: And one Artemis astronaut will make history in the new spacesuit for the project's third mission. NASA plans to send the first woman and the first person of color on the 240,000-mile journey to the moon and back.

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1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

3 squats   

n.蹲坐，蹲姿( squat的名词复数 )；被擅自占用的建筑物v.像动物一样蹲下( squat的第三人称单数 )；非法擅自占用（土地或房屋）；为获得其所有权；而占用某片公共用地。

参考例句：

• The square squats in the centre of the city. 广场位于市中心。 来自互联网
• Various squats, lunges, jumps and sprints are incorporated for the humans. 主人们还要进行下蹲、弓步、跳跃和短跑等各项训练。 来自互联网

4 mobility   

n.可动性，变动性，情感不定

参考例句：

• The difference in regional house prices acts as an obstacle to mobility of labour.不同地区房价的差异阻碍了劳动力的流动。
• Mobility is very important in guerrilla warfare.机动性在游击战中至关重要。

5 flexibility   

n.柔韧性，弹性，（光的）折射性，灵活性

参考例句：

• Her great strength lies in her flexibility.她的优势在于她灵活变通。
• The flexibility of a man's muscles will lessen as he becomes old.人老了肌肉的柔韧性将降低。

6 sleeker   

磨光器，异型墁刀

参考例句：

• As tight as a corset, the new speed suits make the wearer sleeker and more streamlined. 这种新型泳衣穿起来就像紧身胸衣，可使穿着者身形光滑，更具流线型。
• When he became leaner and faster, his digital doppelganger also became sleeker and more fleet-footed. 当真科比变得更瘦并且更快，他的虚拟兄弟也变得灵动飞快。

7 aerospace   

adj.航空的，宇宙航行的

参考例句：

• The world's entire aerospace industry is feeling the chill winds of recession.全世界的航空航天工业都感受到了经济衰退的寒意。
• Edward Murphy was an aerospace engineer for the US Army.爱德华·墨菲是一名美军的航宇工程师。

8 velvet   

n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的

参考例句：

• This material feels like velvet.这料子摸起来像丝绒。
• The new settlers wore the finest silk and velvet clothing.新来的移民穿着最华丽的丝绸和天鹅绒衣服。