太空人在長程火星之旅中面臨輻射威脅 Astronauts face radiation threat on long Mars trip

Astronauts traveling to and from Mars would be bombarded with as much radiation as they’d get from a full-body CT scan about once a week for a year, researchers reported. 往返火星的太空人面臨的輻射量，多達持續1年每週1次接受全身斷層掃描的劑量，研究人員報告指出。 That dose would, in some cases, exceed NASA’s standards and is enough to raise an astronaut’s cancer risk by 3 percent. 這種劑量，在某些情況下，超過美國航空暨太空總署（NASA）的標準，並足以將太空人罹癌的風險提高3％。 As plans for deep space exploration ramp up, radiation is a big concern — from high-energy galactic cosmic rays spewed by distant supernova explosions to sporadic bursts of charged particles hurled by the sun. Earth’s magnetic field helps to deflect much of that harmful radiation. 當深空探險計畫大增，輻射是一大關切——從遙遠的超新星爆炸噴發的高能銀河宇宙射線，到太陽投射的帶電粒子零星爆裂。地球磁場有助於偏移大量的有害輻射。 NASA aims to send a crew to orbit the red planet by the mid-2030s. Private outfits like Inspiration Mars are seeking volunteers for a Mars flight. NASA企圖在2030年代中期前將一組太空人送上這顆紅色星球的軌道。諸如「靈感火星」等民間企業也招募志願者前往火星。 There have been previous efforts to gauge the radiation risk for future Mars travelers, but the best estimate is coming from NASA’s Curiosity mission. Tucked inside the rover when it launched in 2011 was a radiation sensor that took readings during the 8 1/2-month cruise to Mars. 此前就有針對未來火星旅人所做的輻射風險測量，但最佳推估來自NASA的「好奇號」任務。當這部探測車於2011年發射時，其內部便裝有輻射感應器，在前往火星的8.5個月航程中擷取輻射數據。 From those figures, scientists calculated a spacefarer’s radiation exposure for a quicker six-month voyage in a similarly shielded spacecraft. Roundtrip： about 662 millisieverts. 藉由那些數據，科學家計算太空人在較快的6個月航程中，在類似防護的太空船內暴露在輻射下的劑量。來回一趟︰約662毫西弗。 The estimate is just for zipping there and back; it doesn’t include time spent on the Martian surface, which would add to an astronaut’s exposure. （AP） 這個推估只是航行到那裡和返航的劑量，並未包括待在火星表面的時間，這段時間將增加太空人的輻射暴露量。（美聯社） 新聞辭典 outfit︰（口語）公司、機構。例句︰Some big outfits are working on the kind of products.（一些大公司正致力研製這類產品。） round trip︰名詞，來回之行，形容詞，round-trip（來回的）。例句︰It will cost you $1500, round trip.（來回票費用是1500美元。） zip︰動詞，迅速行動、以尖嘯聲行進。例句︰We zipped the homework, and then went to a movie.（我們迅速寫完作業，然後去看電影。）