VOA慢速英語(yǔ):太陽(yáng)能飛機(jī)意在環(huán)球飛行

From VOA Learning English, this is the Technology Report.

美國(guó)之音英語(yǔ)教學(xué)，這里是科技報(bào)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(duì)來(lái)自瑞士的飛行員和工程師成功駕駛一架太陽(yáng)能飛機(jī)從西班牙飛到摩洛哥。同一個(gè)團(tuán)隊(duì)于2013年駕駛該飛機(jī)橫跨美國(guó)。現(xiàn)在，這個(gè)瑞士團(tuán)隊(duì)正籌備2015年進(jìn)行一次環(huán)球飛行。這架全新的改進(jìn)版飛機(jī)最近在瑞士進(jìn)行了展示，它被命名陽(yáng)光動(dòng)力2號(hào)(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(yáng)光動(dòng)力2號(hào)是一架輕型單座飛機(jī)，其機(jī)翼寬達(dá)63米。這個(gè)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(jī)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(tái)電力馬達(dá)可以讓飛機(jī)在平均海拔8500米的高度以140公里每小時(shí)的速度巡航。陽(yáng)光動(dòng)力1號(hào)最長(zhǎng)的一次飛行是在2013年5月，當(dāng)時(shí)這架飛機(jī)從從亞利桑那州菲尼克斯市飛到得克薩斯州達(dá)拉斯市，距離超過(guò)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(yáng)光動(dòng)力2號(hào)能夠在機(jī)場(chǎng)之間飛行更長(zhǎng)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(shuō)：“當(dāng)我們離開(kāi)中國(guó)海岸，我們不知道大洋另一面的天氣狀況。所以有很大問(wèn)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(yáng)光動(dòng)力2號(hào)耗費(fèi)了12年的研究和測(cè)試。研究人員和測(cè)試人員認(rèn)為，這架飛機(jī)能夠在20到25個(gè)日夜內(nèi)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(jīng)在瑞士空軍服役。他說(shuō)，飛機(jī)上的每個(gè)細(xì)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(shuō)：“這架飛機(jī)是能效的一個(gè)實(shí)例。如何節(jié)能，以及如何讓太陽(yáng)能足夠維持飛機(jī)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(dòng)駕駛儀時(shí)睡覺(jué)甚至鍛煉。自動(dòng)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(yáng)光動(dòng)力項(xiàng)目的總裁。他說(shuō)，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(shuō)：“這是為了給客戶(hù)帶來(lái)更高能效的產(chǎn)品：在住宅、交通運(yùn)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(yáng)光動(dòng)力2號(hào)于今年5月開(kāi)始試飛。環(huán)球飛行擬定于明年3月從沿波斯灣的某個(gè)機(jī)場(chǎng)開(kāi)始進(jìn)行。