China Launches Attempt to Land Spacecraft on Mars
中国火星探测器发射成功 将在未来尝试着陆火星
An unmanned Chinese spacecraft left Earth Thursday on a yearlong trip to the planet Mars. The launch marks the beginning of one of China’s most important space missions yet.
本周四（7月23日），一首中国无人航天器离开地球开始长达一年的火星之旅。这次发射标志着一项中国最重要的太空任务的开始。
China’s national space agency launched the spacecraft, called Tianwen-1, from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch area on Hainan Island. Hundreds of people were watching and cheered as it rose into the sky.
中国国家航天局从海南岛文昌航天发射场发射了名为“天问一号”的宇宙飞船。数百人在一旁观看，并为它的升空而欢呼。
The name Tianwen means “Heavenly Questions” or “Questions to Heaven” in Mandarin Chinese. The spacecraft is expected to reach the Red Planet by February of next year.
“天问”在普通话中的意思是“天空的问题”或“向天提问”。该航天器预计将于明年2月抵达火星这颗红色星球。
Once it begins orbiting the planet, a probe will leave the spacecraft and attempt to land on the Utopia Planitia area of Mars. Space agency officials say the probe will release a small solar-powered rover. They said the vehicle will explore the planet’s surface for about three months.
一旦航天器开始绕火星运行，一个探测器将离开航天器，并试图降落在火星的乌托邦平原地区。航天局官员表示，探测器将放出一个小型太阳能巡视器。他们表示，探测器将在火星表面探测约三个月时间。
A successful landing would make China only the second nation to place a spacecraft on the Martian planet. The United States has landed eight probes on Mars since 1976.
假如“天问一号”成功着陆，中国将成为第二个将飞船着陆在火星平原的国家。自1976年以来，美国已经在火星上着陆了8个探测器。
China would also be the first to successfully orbit, land and deploy a vehicle in the same mission.
中国也将成为首个在同一任务中成功绕轨、着陆和部署运载工具的国家。
This is China’s first independent mission to Mars. A 2011 mission failed when a Russian rocket carrying a Chinese orbiter had problems after launch, and was unable to escape Earth’s orbit.
这是中国首次自主火星探测任务。2011年，俄罗斯火箭运载着一艘中国轨道飞行器在发射后出现问题，以飞行器无法脱离地球轨道宣告任务失败。
Last year, China’s Chang’e-4 spacecraft became the first to make a landing on the far side of the moon.
去年，中国的嫦娥四号飞船成为首个在月球背面着陆的航天器。
The Tianwen-1 is the third mission to Mars this year. On Monday, Japanese engineers launched a rocket. It is carrying an orbiter developed and built by the United Arab Emirates. The U.S. space agency NASA is set to launch a new Martian vehicle, named Perseverance, on July 30.
天问一号是今年的第三次火星任务。本周一，日本工程师发射了一枚火箭，该火箭携带着由阿联酋研发制造的轨道飞行器。美国宇航局将于7月30日发射一艘名为“毅力”的火星探测器。
Another solar system
另一个太阳系
In a separate development, scientists have released, what they say, is the first image ever captured by a telescope of more than one planet orbiting a sun-like star. The European Southern Observatory (ESO) said Wednesday that the image came from its Extremely Large Telescope, in Chile’s Atacama Desert.
在另外一项公告中，科学家们公布了据他们所说的第一张由望远镜拍摄到的多颗行星围绕类太阳恒星运行的照片。欧洲南方天文台(ESO)周三表示，这张照片来自于位于智利阿塔卡马沙漠的超大型望远镜。
The researchers said the star is part of the constellation Musca, or Fly. They believe it is just about 17 million years old. That is young when compared to Earth’s sun, which is believed to be 4.5 billion years old.
研究人员称，这颗恒星是苍蝇座（Musca：南天星座之一）的一部分。研究人员认为这颗恒星仅有1700万年的历史。这与地球上的太阳相比，就很年轻了。据悉，太阳被认为已有45亿岁了。
The newly discovered solar system is about 300 light-years away from Earth.
新发现的太阳系距离地球大约300光年。
A report on the discovery was published Tuesday in The Astrophysical Journal Letters. Lead researcher Alexander Bohn of Leiden University described the star as very young and much like our own sun. He added that taking direct images provides the best chance to find life outside our solar system, if it exists.
关于这一发现的报告周二发表在《天体物理学杂志通讯》上。莱顿大学的首席研究员亚历山大·博恩称这颗恒星非常年轻，且跟我们的太阳很像。他补充到，直接拍摄图像为发现太阳系外的生命（如果真存在生命的话）提供了最好的机会。
I’m Anna Mateo.
安娜·马特奥为你报道。
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