踏上非凡的探險之旅：近距離接觸歐羅巴快船

美國國家航空暨太空總署(NASA) 和噴射推進實驗室(JPL) 展示了歐羅巴快艇(Europa Clipper) 太空船，該太空船正在準備執行一項研究木星衛星木衛二(Europa) 的任務，木星的衛星被認為蘊藏著可能存在生命的地下海洋。儘管船上技術先進，但該航天器不會使用人工智慧聊天機器人。任務的目的是透過進行詳細的偵察和尋找生命跡象來評估木衛二的宜居性。該航天器的設計平衡了多種要求，例如容納儀器和在飛越期間最大化太陽能電池陣列的暴露。快艇收集的數據將使用大型高增益天線傳輸回地球。

Embarking on an Extraordinary Expedition to Europa: An Up-Close Encounter with the Europa Clipper Spacecraft

踏上歐羅巴非凡探險之旅：近距離接觸歐羅巴快艇

On a radiant morning in Pasadena, California, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and NASA invited Decrypt and an esteemed group of media representatives to witness firsthand the awe-inspiring Europa Clipper spacecraft, poised for its momentous five-year mission to Europa, one of the captivating moons orbiting the majestic planet Jupiter.

在加州帕薩迪納一個陽光明媚的早晨，噴射推進實驗室(JPL) 和NASA 邀請Decrypt 和一群受人尊敬的媒體代表親眼目睹令人驚嘆的歐羅巴快船飛船，該飛船正準備執行其重要的五年木衛二任務，圍繞著雄偉的木星運行的迷人衛星。

The Europa Clipper Mission: Unveiling the Secrets of Jupiter's Enigmatic Moon

歐羅巴快艇任務：揭開木星神秘衛星的秘密

Scheduled for launch in October, the Europa Clipper mission stands as a testament to human ingenuity and our insatiable quest for extraterrestrial knowledge. This sophisticated spacecraft will embark on a series of intricate flybys in orbit around Jupiter, meticulously documenting the Galilean moon Europa and assessing its potential for habitability.

計劃於 10 月發射的歐羅巴快艇任務證明了人類的聰明才智和我們對外星知識的永不滿足的追求。這艘複雜的太空船將在木星軌道上進行一系列複雜的飛越，仔細記錄伽利略衛星歐羅巴並評估其宜居潛力。

With its cutting-edge scientific instruments, the Europa Clipper will conduct an exhaustive reconnaissance of Europa, scrutinizing its icy surface and subsurface ocean. It will delve into the depths of this celestial body, searching for telltale signs of life and meticulously analyzing its composition and geological makeup.

憑藉其最先進的科學儀器，歐羅巴快艇將對木衛二進行徹底的偵察，仔細檢查其冰冷的表面和地下海洋。它將深入這個天體的深處，尋找生命的跡象，並仔細分析它的成分和地質組成。

A Journey into the Heart of Innovation: Entering the Clean Room

創新核心之旅：進入無塵室

Our media tour commenced at the NASA/JPL visitor center, where we carefully adorned our security badges and met our knowledgeable guides. Boarding a shuttle bus, we proceeded to the building housing the Europa Clipper, embarking on a thrilling adventure into the realm of the clean room.

我們的媒體之旅從 NASA/JPL 遊客中心開始，在那裡我們精心裝飾了我們的安全徽章，並會見了知識淵博的導遊。登上班車，我們前往Europa Clipper所在的大樓，開始了一場進入無塵室領域的驚心動魄的冒險。

Stepping across an adhesive mat, we meticulously removed any stray particles from our footwear. Our equipment underwent a thorough cleaning process, ensuring pristine conditions for entry. Donning protective gowns and gear, we stepped into a room dedicated to air showers, the final stage in our purification ritual before venturing into the pristine environment of the clean room.

跨過黏性墊，我們小心翼翼地清除鞋子上的任何雜散顆粒。我們的設備經過了徹底的清潔過程，確保了原始的進入條件。穿上防護衣和裝備，我們走進一個專門用於空氣淋浴的房間，這是淨化儀式的最後階段，然後才進入無塵室的原始環境。

The Europa Clipper: A Marvel of Engineering

Europa Clipper：工程奇蹟

Upon entering the cavernous warehouse, the sheer scale of the Europa Clipper astonished us. Its intricate components, meticulously assembled, hinted at the immense complexity of this scientific marvel.

進入巨大的倉庫後，歐羅巴快艇的巨大規模讓我們感到驚訝。其複雜的組件經過精心組裝，暗示了這一科學奇蹟的巨大複雜性。

"This spacecraft is a testament to human ingenuity," remarked a member of the quality assurance team, gesturing towards the towering structure. "Every inch of this space will be utilized as we prepare the Europa Clipper for its momentous journey."

「這艘太空船是人類聰明才智的證明，」品質保證團隊的一名成員指著這座高聳的結構說。 “在我們為歐羅巴快船的重要旅程做準備時，這一空間的每一寸都將得到充分利用。”

The Europa Clipper's delicate appearance belied its robust construction, engineered to withstand the rigors of space. Harness Engineer Luis Aguila explained the meticulous testing process, ensuring the spacecraft's resilience against the intense forces of launch.

Europa Clipper 精緻的外觀掩蓋了其堅固的結構，旨在承受太空的嚴酷考驗。線束工程師路易斯·阿吉拉解釋了細緻的測試過程，確保太空船能夠抵抗發射時的強大力量。

Aguila elaborated on the Europa Clipper's impressive weight, exceeding 13,000 pounds, a testament to its technological prowess. Project Manager Jordan Evans delved into the spacecraft's intricate design, shaped by a harmonious balance of scientific objectives and engineering constraints.

阿吉拉詳細介紹了 Europa Clipper 令人印象深刻的重量，超過 13,000 磅，證明了其技術實力。專案經理喬丹·埃文斯深入研究了太空船的複雜設計，該設計是科學目標和工程限制之間的和諧平衡所形成的。

"The spacecraft's configuration is a symphony of functionality," Evans expounded. "It must seamlessly navigate within the confines of the launch vehicle and accommodate the diverse orientations of its scientific instruments as it performs its flybys."

「太空船的配置是功能的交響樂，」埃文斯解釋道。 “它必須在運載火箭的範圍內無縫導航，並在飛越時適應其科學儀器的不同方向。”

Communicating Across the Vastness of Space: Ensuring Seamless Data Transmission

跨越浩瀚空間通訊：確保資料無縫傳輸

Nestled atop the Europa Clipper, a towering high gain antenna stands as the vital link to Earth, facilitating the transmission of invaluable scientific data. "This antenna connects the spacecraft to the Deep Space Network, operated by JPL," Evans explained. "Regardless of the relative positions of Europa and Earth, one of our ground stations will maintain a direct line of sight, enabling the continuous flow of data."

坐落在歐羅巴快艇頂部的高聳高增益天線是與地球的重要紐帶，有助於傳輸寶貴的科學數據。 「這個天線將太空船連接到由噴射推進實驗室運作的深空網絡，」埃文斯解釋。 “無論歐羅巴和地球的相對位置如何，我們的地面站之一都將保持直接視線，從而實現數據的連續流動。”

AI's Role in Space Exploration: A Nuanced Perspective

人工智慧在太空探索中的作用：細緻的視角

Artificial intelligence (AI) has played an increasingly significant role in recent space exploration endeavors. Despite this trend, Evans emphasized that the Europa Clipper mission does not employ AI in a meaningful capacity.

人工智慧（AI）在最近的太空探索活動中發揮著越來越重要的作用。儘管有這種趨勢，埃文斯強調，歐羅巴快船任務並沒有以有意義的方式使用人工智慧。

"The spacecraft operates like a dedicated computer," added Tracy Drain, Flight Systems Engineer. "Onboard software executes pre-programmed instructions, ensuring precise and reliable operation."

「太空船的運作就像一台專用計算機，」飛行系統工程師 Tracy Drain 補充道。 “板載軟體執行預編程指令，確保精確可靠的操作。”

The time-sensitive nature of the mission precludes reliance on Earth-based cloud computing, which would introduce a significant delay in communication.

此任務的時間敏感度使得無法依賴基於地球的雲端運算，否則會導致通訊嚴重延遲。

A Legacy of Innovation: JPL's Enduring Contributions to Space Exploration

創新遺產：噴射推進實驗室對太空探索的持久貢獻

Our tour continued with a visit to the von Kármán auditorium, where we delved into the captivating history of JPL. Founded in 1943, the laboratory traces its roots to the pioneering efforts of the "Suicide Squad," a group of Caltech scientists and enthusiasts who laid the groundwork for JPL's remarkable legacy.

我們的旅程繼續參觀馮卡門禮堂，在那裡我們深入了解了噴射推進實驗室的迷人歷史。該實驗室成立於 1943 年，其根源可追溯到「自殺小隊」的開創性努力，該小組由加州理工學院的科學家和愛好者組成，為噴氣推進實驗室的非凡遺產奠定了基礎。

In December 1958, JPL became an integral part of the newly established NASA, embarking on a journey of unparalleled scientific achievements.

1958年12月，噴射推進實驗室成為新成立的美國太空總署的組成部分，開始了一段無與倫比的科學成就之旅。

The Search for Life: Europa's Potential as a Habitable World

尋找生命：木衛二作為宜居世界的潛力

JPL Deputy Project Scientist Bonnie Buratti emphasized the primary objective of the Europa Clipper mission: to identify environments capable of supporting life.

噴射推進實驗室副計畫科學家邦妮·布拉蒂強調了歐羅巴快艇任務的主要目標：確定能夠支持生命的環境。

"Our focus is on uncovering environments conducive to the formation and sustenance of life," Buratti expounded. "While Europa's surface appears icy, we cannot definitively determine its accessibility or safety for landing."

「我們的重點是發現有利於生命形成和維持的環境，」布拉蒂解釋道。 “雖然木衛二的表面看起來結冰，但我們無法明確確定其著陸的可及性或安全性。”

Buratti highlighted the evidence suggesting fragile surface conditions, potentially concealing hidden crevasses. She emphasized the importance of searching for signs of geological activity, indicative of a dynamic and potentially habitable environment.

布拉蒂強調了證據顯示地表條件脆弱，可能隱藏著隱藏的裂縫。她強調了尋找地質活動跡象的重要性，這些跡象表明了動態和潛在的宜居環境。

"Europa's seemingly crater-free surface hints at ongoing geological processes within the past 50 million years," Buratti explained. "This activity suggests the potential for habitability."

「木衛二看似沒有隕石坑的表面暗示了過去 5,000 萬年來持續不斷的地質過程，」布拉蒂解釋道。 “這項活動表明了其適宜居住的潛力。”

Conclusion: Inspiring the Next Generation of Explorers

結論：激勵下一代探險家

Our visit to JPL left an indelible mark, igniting a profound sense of awe and inspiration. For aspiring scientists and space enthusiasts, Drain emphasized the diverse opportunities available at JPL.

我們對噴射推進實驗室的訪問留下了不可磨滅的印記，點燃了深深的敬畏感和靈感。對於有抱負的科學家和太空愛好者，Drain 強調了噴射推進實驗室提供的多樣化機會。

"Our team comprises individuals from a wide range of backgrounds," Drain stated. "Critical thinking is paramount, regardless of one's specific area of expertise. Whether you are drawn to the arts, journalism, computer science, or finance, there is a place for you here at JPL, contributing to the advancement of space exploration."

“我們的團隊由來自不同背景的人組成，”Drain 說。 「無論一個人的專業領域如何，批判性思維都是至關重要的。無論您對藝術、新聞、電腦科學還是金融感興趣，噴射推進實驗室都能為您提供一席之地，為太空探索的進步做出貢獻。