When future historians report human progress during the 21st century, they may conclude that one of the key moments took place a year ago in Elon Musk's bedroom. His eureka! moments happen every few months. Sometimes during his morning shower, sometimes late at night before sleep, sometimes, as on this occasion, waking at 2 a.m.
当回顾人类在21世纪取得的进步时,未来的历史学家可能会下这样的结论:其中的一个重要时刻是一年前在埃隆·穆斯克的卧室内发生的。他的创造灵感每几个月就会喷发一次,有时是在早晨淋浴,有时是在夜晚睡前,有时——比如这次——发生在凌晨2点醒来时。
This is how he described that moment to me: "I realized that a methane-oxygen rocket engine could achieve a specific impulse greater than 380."
他是这样对我描述那一时刻的:“我意识到使用甲烷-氧气型火箭发动机可以获得380秒以上的比冲。”(比冲指火箭发动机单位重量推进剂产生的冲量,工程中习惯以“秒”为单位——译注)
Okay, it doesn't sound particularly historic. Until you realize that a rocket of that spec has adequate range to escape Earth's upper atmosphere and travel to Mars. And that it so happens that Mars has plenty of carbon dioxide (CO2) and permafrost (H2O), which could be neatly converted into the aforementioned methane (CH4) and liquid oxygen (O2). Which means you could create the fuel for the journey home right there on Mars itself. And that transforms the long-term economics of space travel between Earth and Mars because it means that you could send manned spacecraft to Mars without having to carry rocket fuel with you.
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2020-09-15
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