VOA慢速英語:太陽能飛機意在環(huán)球飛行

From VOA Learning English, this is the Technology Report.

美國之音英語教學，這里是科技報道。

In 2012, a team of pilots and engineers from Switzerland successfully flew a plane powered by sun light from Spain to Morocco. The same team flew the aircraft across the United States in 2013. Now, the Swiss team is preparing for a flight around the world in 2015. The new, improved version of the plane, named Solar Impulse 2, was recently shown in Switzerland.

2012年，一隊來自瑞士的飛行員和工程師成功駕駛一架太陽能飛機從西班牙飛到摩洛哥。同一個團隊于2013年駕駛該飛機橫跨美國?，F(xiàn)在，這個瑞士團隊正籌備2015年進行一次環(huán)球飛行。這架全新的改進版飛機最近在瑞士進行了展示，它被命名陽光動力2號(Solar Impulse 2)。

Solar Impulse 2 is a very light, single-seat airplane. Its wings are 63 meters across. This large wingspan provides 200 square meters of space for energy cells that charge lithium-ion batteries. These special batteries are needed to keep the plane flying at night.

陽光動力2號是一架輕型單座飛機，其機翼寬達63米。這個大翼展為給鋰離子電池充電的能源元件提供了200平米的空間。這些特制電池被用于保障飛機的夜間飛行。

Four electric motors permit the plane to cruise at a speed of up to 140 kilometers per hour, at an average height of 8,500 meters above sea level. The longest flight of Solar Impulse 1 was made in May 2013. The plane flew from Phoenix, Arizona to Dallas, Texas, a distance of just over 1,500 kilometers.

四臺電力馬達可以讓飛機在平均海拔8500米的高度以140公里每小時的速度巡航。陽光動力1號最長的一次飛行是在2013年5月，當時這架飛機從從亞利桑那州菲尼克斯市飛到得克薩斯州達拉斯市，距離超過1500公里。

Pilot Andre Borschberg says Solar Impulse 2 will be able to fly much longer distances between stops.

飛行員安德烈·博爾施伯格(Andre Borschberg)表示，陽光動力2號能夠在機場之間飛行更長距離。

"When we leave the coast of China, we don't know what the weather looks like on the side of the ocean. So these are big question marks," said Borschberg.

博爾施伯格說：“當我們離開中國海岸，我們不知道大洋另一面的天氣狀況。所以有很大問題。”

12 years of research and testing went into building Solar Impulse 2. The researchers and testers believe the aircraft will be able to fly around the world in 20 to 25 days and nights.

建造陽光動力2號耗費了12年的研究和測試。研究人員和測試人員認為，這架飛機能夠在20到25個日夜內完成環(huán)球飛行。

Andre Borschberg once flew jets for the Swiss Air Force. He says every detail on the airplane is designed to save energy.

博爾施伯格曾經在瑞士空軍服役。他說，飛機上的每個細節(jié)都是為了節(jié)省能源。

"This airplane is an example of energy efficiency, how we save the energy, and how the energy from the sun is enough to keep the airplane in the air day and night," said Borschberg.

博爾施伯格說：“這架飛機是能效的一個實例。如何節(jié)能，以及如何讓太陽能足夠維持飛機日夜飛行。”

Mr. Borschberg will be able to sleep or even exercise when using the autopilot, a flight assistance device.

博爾施伯格將能夠在使用自動駕駛儀時睡覺甚至鍛煉。自動駕駛儀是一種飛行輔助裝置。

Bertrand Piccard is the Chairman of the Solar Impulse project. He says the goal of the flight around world is to support energy efficiency.

伯特蘭·皮卡德(Bertrand Piccard)是陽光動力項目的總裁。他說，環(huán)球飛行的目的是為了支持能效。

"It is to bring products to their clients which are more energy efficient: in home buildings, in the transportation, in appliances, it can be lighting," Piccard said.

皮卡德說：“這是為了給客戶帶來更高能效的產品：在住宅、交通運輸和家用電器中，它能用于照明。”

Solar Impulse 2 begins test flights in May. The flight around the world is planned to start next March from an airport somewhere along the Persian Gulf.

陽光動力2號于今年5月開始試飛。環(huán)球飛行擬定于明年3月從沿波斯灣的某個機場開始進行。