(世界新聞)：Vice President Mike Pence: Returning to the moon in five years is a goal worthy of America

副總統彭斯說：五年內重返月球對美國而言是個值得的目標
來源：FOXNEWS, 1 APR 2019, 原文網址

Last Thursday, the Washington Post published an editorial on President Trump’s bold new policy to return American astronauts to the moon in five years, which I announced last week in Huntsville. The president is committed to restore America’s legacy of leadership in space, and the Editorial Board is to be commended for giving this new policy the attention it deserves. But the suggestion that our administration has been neither “thoughtful about the space program’s goals” nor “honest about the costs” is false and needs to be corrected.

上週四華盛頓郵報對總統川普的大膽政策，也是我上週在杭特維爾所宣佈的，要在五年內再把太空人送上月球這件事發表了一篇社論。總統承諾要重新找回在太空領域身為領頭羊的光輝過去，而華郵編輯部對這項政策給了它應有的關注這點雖是值得嘉許。然而他認為我們執政團隊既未對太空計畫的目標考慮周到，也沒有對其支出誠實以對。此論點實為大謬且非更正不可。

For much of the 46 years since Americans last walked on the moon, NASA’s exploration mission has remained in low Earth orbit with our astronauts stuck close to home. But in 2017, the president directed NASA with a clear mission and bold objective: Return to the moon for “long-term exploration and use” – not just to “plant our flag and leave our footprint,” but to “establish a foundation for an eventual mission to Mars.”
距我國上次完成登月已有46年之久，美國太空總署（下稱NASA）一直都將我們的太空人限定在近地軌道上執行探索任務。然而2017年，總統指示NASA一個明確的任務與大膽的目標：不是只有"插旗子還有留下足跡"，而是為了能"長期的探索與利用"重返月球。且最終為了進行火星任務建立堅實的基礎。

Landing astronauts at the moon’s South Pole and establishing a permanent lunar presence would prove anew the technological prowess and courage of the American people. So too would it propel groundbreaking scientific discoveries. Lunar science and human exploration are complementary, which is why much of the planetary science community supports the president’s bold new plan. The nation that leads the world back to the moon will lead the world in science and technology for generations.
派遣太空人在月球南極登陸，並建立一個永久的月球基地將重新證明我國強大的技術實力與美國人民的堅定勇氣。如此也能大力推動基礎科技發展。探月科技與人類探索是互補的，這也是為何太空科技的相關社群都極為支持總統的大膽計畫。能夠領導世界重返月球的國家也能世世代代在科技領域上領導這個世界。

Nor must we choose between sending either robots or astronauts. NASA’s robotic prospector missions will help teach us to extract the oxygen and hydrogen we need to survive on the moon and launch expeditions to Mars. This will reduce the need to resupply from Earth and make exploration more sustainable than ever. Pursuing robotic and crewed missions simultaneously, we will use ambitious deadlines as tools to drive clear priorities and avoid costly delays.
我們也不需在是要派機器人或是太空人間做選擇。為了需要在月球上存活與展開火星探險計畫，NASA機器人探採任務有助於學習如何萃取我們需要的氧與氫。這樣能減少從地球運補的需求，還能使我們的探險計畫比起以往更能長久持續下去。同時有機器人與人類執行任務，我們設定這樣雄心壯志的期限可讓我們行事有明確的優先順序且能避免所費不貲的延誤。

The Washington Post’s suggestion that our administration has been neither “thoughtful about the space program’s goals” nor “honest about the costs” is false and needs to be corrected.

華郵的文章意指我們執政團隊既未對太空計畫的目標考慮周到，也沒有對其支出誠實以對。此論點實為大謬且非更正不可。

Regarding costs, last year, working with congressional appropriators from both parties, the president fully funded two of NASA’s key capabilities for deep space exploration: the Space Launch System and Orion crew vehicle. As I said in Huntsville, “President Trump knows that meeting this challenge will require a great national investment of time, talent, and resources” – and “we’re going to continue to work with leaders in Congress” to provide “NASA the resources they need to meet to the goal” of reaching the moon within five years.
就花費上，在去年與兩黨在國會的專責人員工作時，總統對NASA兩項能進行深度太空探索的關鍵技術"太空發射系統"，"獵戶座太空船"決定如數注資。如我在杭特維爾所言，"總統川普知道要面對這項挑戰，非得傾全國之力投注時間、人才與資源才行" – "我們將會持續與國會領袖共同研議。"，讓"NASA能有足夠資源"確保能在五年內達成登月目標。

At the president’s direction, federal regulators are modernizing out-of-date rules to unleash America’s innovative space companies. We are partnering with them to create new technologies to explore space farther, faster, and at a lower cost to the taxpayer. And to protect these vital investments in space, the president has taken executive action – and called on Congress – to establish the sixth branch of our Armed Forces: The United States Space Force.
在總統揭纛下，過時的聯邦法規將會修正，讓美國許多創新的太空企業解脫桎梏。我們會與他們一同創造能使太空探索更遠、更快也對納稅人更便宜的新科技。為了保護這些太空中至關重大的投資，總統已經下令並通知國會，我們要建立第六軍種：美國太空軍。

The president believes that, to be worthy of our great nation, our space program must pursue great things, including, above all, being the first nation to send astronauts to the moon in the 21st Century. And our administration will do whatever it takes to succeed. If the Washington Post’s Editorial Board believes that sending the first woman or the next man to the moon is not worth the cost – or that there’s nothing to be gained – that would likely put it at odds with the vast majority of Americans who welcome the president’s commitment to renewed American leadership in human space exploration.
總統相信，我們這麼一個強大的國家值得追求一個偉大的太空計畫，首先當然包含在21世紀第一個派太空人登月。而我們行政團隊將會不惜一切使其成真。如果華郵編輯部認為將第一個女性或是再一個男性送上月球這件事一文不值，或是根本把錢打水漂了。那就與絕大多數對總統在太空探索領域要將美國重返榮耀的承諾表示歡迎的國人背道而馳了。

註釋：
prowess: 實力
propel: 推進
groundbreaking: 破土、奠基
complementary: 互補