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This isn't your traditional bathing suit.
這不是你傳統的泳衣。
It's actually NASA's
這其實是美國宇航局的
Exploration Extravehicular Mobility Unit,
勘察車外機動股。
or xEMU,
或xEMU。
the first new flight spacesuit
首款新型飛行服
developed by the agency in over 40 years.
該機構40多年來發展的。
And it's what the next astronauts will wear
這也是下一任太空人要穿的衣服。
when we finally go back to the moon in 2024.
當我們終於在2024年回到月球時。
But before its boots touch the lunar surface,
但在它的靴子接觸月球表面之前。
the suit must be tested, rigorously.
衣服必須經過測試,嚴格。
Amy Ross: We know that if we don't do our job well,
艾米-羅斯我們知道,如果我們不做好我們的工作。
we can kill somebody.
我們可以殺人。
Narrator: Testing isn't just about
旁白:測試不只是為了
making sure it functions.
確保其功能。
It's about making sure the astronauts who use it
這是為了確保使用它的太空人們
come back home safe.
安全回家。
Ross: We are a life-support system.
羅斯,我們是一個生命支持系統我們是一個生命支持系統。
And so that is something that we all know
所以這是我們都知道的事情
and keep in the back of our minds
銘記在心
every day as we do our job,
我們每天都在做我們的工作。
because rule No. 1 is crew members come home.
因為第一條規則是船員回家。
Narrator: This is Amy.
旁白:我是Amy
And Amy has to make sure the suit
而Amy必須確保這套衣服
can stand up to a lot.
可以經受住很多。
The Artemis program plans to take crews
阿特米斯計劃計劃帶著船員們
to the moon's south pole
月球南極
for months at a time,
幾個月的時間。
in shadowy regions that could drop
陰暗處
to minus 370 degrees Fahrenheit or even lower.
到零下370華氏度甚至更低。
And astronauts will have to double as geologists,
而太空人將不得不兼任地質學家。
especially given NASA's discovery
特別是鑑於美國宇航局的發現
of the presence of ice on the moon,
月球上有冰的存在。
something that could help fuel rockets,
可以幫助火箭燃料的東西。
turning the moon into a gas station en route to Mars.
把月球變成前往火星途中的加油站。
So the xEMU testing process
所以xEMU測試過程
has been long and grueling,
一直是漫長而艱辛的。
with some tests run twice the recommended amount
有些測試的運行量是建議量的兩倍
just to be safe.
只是為了安全起見。
It's all broken up into three phases.
都分為三個階段。
Development,
發展。
design verification,
設計驗證。
and qualification.
和資格。
The first phase is all about finalizing a design.
第一階段就是要把設計定下來。
Amy and her team try out
艾米和她的團隊嘗試
a bunch of different lower-quality components
雜七雜八
before deciding which design to actually build.
在決定實際建造哪個設計之前。
Ross: You now, it's like a car.
羅斯你現在,它就像一輛汽車。
Is your car's steering good?
你的車的轉向好嗎?
Well, until you put it in a car,
好吧,直到你把它放在車裡。
it's hard to tell.
很難說。
We can put different shoulders in and see,
我們可以把不同的肩膀放進去看看。
does this shoulder work better than this shoulder?
這個肩膀比這個肩膀好用嗎?
Narrator: Once that's all figured out,
旁白:一旦這一切都弄清楚了
the suit moves to the design-verification stage.
服進入設計驗證階段。
Ross: The idea is that we're going to
羅斯,我們的想法是這個想法是,我們要
stay on the moon for months at a time.
在月球上一呆就是幾個月。
And that means that you need
這意味著你需要
to be very flexible and capable,
要非常靈活和有能力。
and you need to be durable.
而你需要耐用。
Narrator: Now, we've been to the moon before,
旁白:我們以前也去過月球。
but not for this long,
但不是這麼久。
not this location,
不是這個位置。
and not with the knowledge we have now.
而不是以我們現在的知識。
Ross: We're being asked to go to
羅斯我們被要求去
permanently shadowed regions
永久性陰影區
because there are gases in those places
因為那些地方有氣體
that stay very, very cold.
保持非常,非常冷。
And I'm talking, like, minus-370-degrees-Fahrenheit cold.
我說的是零下370華氏度的寒冷。
Narrator: They won't be working
旁白:他們不會再工作了
in temperatures that cold,
在如此寒冷的氣溫下。
but the suit does have to withstand temperatures
但這套衣服必須能承受溫度
as high as 250 degrees Fahrenheit
高達250華氏度
and as low as minus 250 degrees Fahrenheit,
並低至零下250華氏度。
a wider range than ever before.
比以往更廣泛的範圍。
To make sure it holds up,
為了確保它能堅持下去。
NASA tests the suit in what's basically a big,
美國宇航局在測試這套衣服的時候,基本上是一個大。
vacuum-sealed oven/freezer,
真空密封的烤箱/冰櫃。
both manned and unmanned.
載人和無人駕駛。
Ross: Chamber B here at Johnson Space Center
羅斯B室在約翰遜航天中心
is a human-rated thermal vacuum chamber we'll use.
是我們要用的人級熱真空室。
We'll go in there with a portable
我們會帶著一個便攜式的
life-support system on our back,
生命支持系統在我們的背上。
then we'll test the suit through
然後我們將通過測試西裝
its different phases of operation
其不同階段的運作
to make sure that it does hold up
以確保它確實經得起考驗
and operates in the vacuum
並在真空中運行
and in the thermal environments that we'll see.
以及在我們將看到的熱環境中。
Narrator: Along with temperature controlled,
旁白:隨著溫度的控制。
the suit must be durable.
衣服必須耐用。
When we first went to the moon,
當我們第一次去月球的時候
scientists were concerned
科學家們擔心
that the regolith-covered lunar surface
月球表面覆蓋的雷公石層
wouldn't support the weight of people and machines.
不會支持人和機器的重量。
But the real issue with the regolith
但是,真正的問題與雷公石
is that it's sharp and dusty,
是它的尖銳和灰塵。
something that could really muck up
禍水東引
the fine-tuned workings of a spacesuit.
宇宙服的微調工作。
So, where's the best place to test dust resistance?
那麼,哪裡測試防塵性能最好呢?
Ross: In an environment that's dusty and rocky.
羅斯在一個塵土飛揚的環境和岩石。
Narrator: This is what durability testing
旁白:這就是耐久性測試
in the Arizona desert looks like.
在亞利桑那州的沙漠中看起來。
Ross: And that kind of tells you
Ross:那種告訴你
what parts of your suit are affected by the dust,
你的衣服的哪些部位會受到灰塵的影響。
does it have a problem with the dust so much?
它有這麼多灰塵的問題嗎?
Is your mobility system really able
你的移動系統是否真的能夠
to walk over this rough terrain?
在這崎嶇不平的土地上行走?
Those kinds of things.
這些東西。
Narrator: But the desert simulates
旁白:但沙漠是模擬的
the terrain of the moon
月球地勢
and not a lot else.
而不是很多其他。
In order to test mobility in lunar gravity,
為了測試月球重力下的機動性。
the engineers have to move someplace wetter.
工程師們必須搬到更溼潤的地方去
Ross: Like the neutral buoyancy laboratory, our big pool.
羅斯就像中性浮力實驗室,我們的大水池。
Narrator: In this giant pool, 40 feet deep,
旁白:在這個40英尺深的巨池裡
astronauts can see what it feels like
太空人可以看到它的感覺。
to be on the moon,
要在月球上。
to a point.
在某種程度上。
Ross: It's not really like moon gravity,
羅斯:這不是真的像月球引力。
because as you try to walk,
因為當你想走的時候,
you're having to push through the water.
你必須推過水。
But as a reasonable analog to do some activities,
但作為一個合理的類比來做一些活動。
it's a good one.
這是一個很好的。
Narrator: Activities like ladder climbing, using tools,
旁白:爬梯子,使用工具等活動。
and ceremonially planting the American flag.
並隆重地插上美國國旗。
These tests let engineers collect objective data
這些測試可以讓工程師收集客觀數據
about the suit's life-support system and mobility,
關於這套衣服的生命支持系統和移動性。
but also subjective data
但也是主觀數據
about the crew's experience using it.
關於船員的使用經驗。
Ross: Our suit's not done until they say it's done
羅斯我們的衣服還沒有完成,直到他們說它的完成。
and they like it
他們喜歡
and they think they can use it to do their job.
他們認為他們可以用它來做他們的工作。
Narrator: Now, qualification testing
旁白:現在,資格測試
includes a lot of the same stuff as design verification,
包括很多與設計驗證相同的東西。
but there are a few key differences.
但有幾個關鍵的區別。
Ross: Part of it is the paperwork.
Ross:部分是文書工作。
Narrator: Things get a little more strict
旁白:事情變得更嚴格了
in the qualification stage.
在資格審查階段。
Ross: We have a lot of caretaking
羅斯我們有很多照顧
to make sure that we understand
以確保我們瞭解
everything that is done with flight hardware.
一切與飛行硬件有關的事情。
You change a screw out,
你換一個螺絲釘出來。
there's a piece of paperwork,
有一份文書工作。
it says this new screw got put in
它說,這個新的螺絲釘被安裝在
on this date to this particular place.
在這一天到這個特定的地方。
Narrator: Since this is the stage
旁白:因為這裡是舞臺
that lower-quality test hardware
低質量的測試硬件
gets swapped out for the fancy flight-ready stuff,
被換成了花哨的飛行用的東西。
testing can slow down a bit.
測試的速度會慢一些。
But in the end...
但到最後...
Ross: When you do qualification testing,
羅斯當你做資格測試。
you're really using that as a proof for everybody
你真的拿這個當證據嗎?
to put in front of everybody
擺在大家面前
that says this suit is good to fly in space.
說這套衣服適合在太空飛行。
Narrator: And once they get the green light...
旁白:一旦他們拿到綠燈...
Ross: That's when you load it onto a vehicle,
Ross:那就是當你把它裝到車上。
take it up to space, and use it in a mission.
把它帶到太空,並在任務中使用它。
Narrator: NASA plans to send the xEMU
旁白:美國宇航局計劃發送xEMU
to use on the International Space Station in 2023
將於2023年在國際空間站上使用。
to collect flight data
採集飛行數據
and confirm the suit's overall performance.
並確認套裝的整體性能。
It's important to note that
需要注意的是
this isn't actually considered a test.
這其實不算是一個測試。
Ross: At NASA, we need to feel like
羅斯在NASA,我們需要感覺到
we're very confident that that hardware
我們非常有信心,硬件
is going to work the way it was required to work
將按照要求的方式工作。
before we fly it.
在我們飛之前。
So we don't usually go into flight calling it a test.
所以我們通常不會去飛行叫它測試。
Narrator: Instead, it's a flight-data mission.
旁白:而是一次飛行數據任務
And it will be one of the last major milestones
而這將是最後一個重要的里程碑之一
before the xEMU is ready to land on the moon.
在xEMU準備登陸月球之前。
Spacesuit testing can take years,
太空服測試可能需要數年時間。
thousands of elbow bends,
數千肘彎。
and even more tests than we're able to show here.
甚至比我們在這裡能夠展示的測試更多。
But it's all necessary
但這都是必要的
to ensure the comfort, functionality,
以確保舒適性、功能性。
and, most of all, safety for NASA's astronauts.
最重要的是,美國宇航局太空人的安全。
Oh, and I know you're probably curious
哦,我知道你可能會很好奇。
about how they test the suit's bathroom situation.
關於他們如何測試西裝的浴室情況。
Well, NASA has basically created a diaper.
美國宇航局基本上創造了一種尿布。
Ross: And we tend to use simulated urine,
羅斯,我們傾向於使用模擬尿液我們傾向於使用模擬尿液。
just to keep things tidier.
只是為了讓事情更整潔。
Narrator: There you have it.
旁白:就這樣吧
And subscribe to our YouTube channel
並訂閱我們的YouTube頻道
so you'll never miss a space secret.
這樣你就不會錯過任何一個空間祕密。