VOA慢速英語：美國政府允許私人公司發(fā)射航空器到月球
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- 英文
美國政府允許私人公司發(fā)射航空器到月球
The United States government has given a private American company permission to send a commercial flight to the moon.
美國政府允許了私人美國公司發(fā)射商業(yè)飛行到月球。
Moon Express, Inc. plans to send a robotic lander to the moon. The vehicle has been reported to be the size of the R2-D2 robot from the Star Wars movie series.
月亮快遞公司計劃發(fā)射機器人著陸器到月球。據報道，這種機器和《星球大戰(zhàn)》電影系列中的R2-D2一樣大。
“It’s a huge milestone for us,” said Bob Richards, who heads Moon Express.
月亮快遞首席執(zhí)行官鮑勃 理查德說：“對于我們來說，這是一個巨大的里程碑”
Until now, private space exploration companies have limited their activities to Earth’s orbit.
目前，私人太空探險公司已經限制他們對地球軌道的活動。
Moon Express hopes to begin flights to the moon in 2017, the year in which Google, the technology company, presents its Lunar X Prize. The prize will go to the first privately-funded business to land a vehicle on the moon.
月亮快遞公司希望2017年開始月球航行，在這一年谷歌科技公司提供了它的月球X獎金。該項獎金將用來支持首家登陸月球的私人公司。
Moon Express joined the race to the moon in 2012. There are now 16 other companies in the competition.
月亮快遞公司加入了2012年的月亮競賽。目前已經有其他16家公司加入了競賽。
Other private companies and individuals would like to explore space. SpaceX, an American aerospace company, has announced plans to launch its “Red Dragon” spacecraft to Mars as early as 2018. Another company, Planetary Resources, is making plans to mine asteroids for minerals.
其他私人企業(yè)和個人也想要探索太空。X空間和美國航空宇宙公司發(fā)表聲明：計劃最早在2018年發(fā)射龍飛船到火星。其他公司，行星資源制定計劃開采小行星的礦物質。
Moon Express has said it wants to mine for minerals on the moon.
月亮快遞公司也表示想要開采月球上的礦物質。
I’m Anne Ball.
安妮波爾報道。
The United States government has given a private American company permission to send a commercial flight to the moon.
Moon Express, Inc. plans to send a robotic lander to the moon. The vehicle has been reported to be the size of the R2-D2 robot from the Star Wars movie series.
“It’s a huge milestone for us,” said Bob Richards, who heads Moon Express.
Until now, private space exploration companies have limited their activities to Earth’s orbit.
Moon Express hopes to begin flights to the moon in 2017, the year in which Google, the technology company, presents its Lunar X Prize. The prize will go to the first privately-funded business to land a vehicle on the moon.
Moon Express joined the race to the moon in 2012. There are now 16 other companies in the competition.
Other private companies and individuals would like to explore space. SpaceX, an American aerospace company, has announced plans to launch its “Red Dragon” spacecraft to Mars as early as 2018. Another company, Planetary Resources, is making plans to mine asteroids for minerals.
Moon Express has said it wants to mine for minerals on the moon.
I’m Anne Ball.
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Words in This Story
milestone – n. a very important event
asteroids – n. any one of thousands of small planets that circle around the sun
commercial – adj. concerned with or involving trade, business
funded – adj. financed; provided with money for a special purpose
