业余科学家加入月球探测器研发竞争

（单词翻译）

'Part-Time Scientists' Compete to Put a Rover on Moon 业余科学家加入月球探测器研发竞争

Sixteen teams from around the world have set their sights on the moon... and the $30 million Google Lunar XPRIZE.  The challenge - issued in 2007 - is to land a privately-funded rover on the lunar surface, travel 500 meters, and transmit back high definition video and images - all at a fraction of what a typical NASA mission costs. The German team calls themselves the "Part Time Scientists."

With an adjustable¹ solar panel, three cameras and four sturdy tires, the 'Part Time Scientists' rover looks ready for action. The team has been at work on the rover since 2008, says founder² Robert B?ehme, using components³ originally designed for earth-bound electronics and for satellites.

"Using technology which is kind of not intended to send something to the moon is always very risky⁴, so we have to really slim down everything so that it fits into a less than four tons payload vehicle," said B?ehme.

Cost is a concern, as well, which is one reason the team is making its rover as high-tech⁵ as possible.

"So what we wanted to try to do was to make as much as hi-tech - as you would call - available for space applications, so that you have more processing power for less energy. Energy is the number one constraint⁶ in space. So that really cuts down to our mission costs," said B?ehme.

B?ehme expects their mission cost will be under $30 million. He hopes to secure a contract for a launch vehicle by the end of the year and send the rover on its way by the end of 2017. The 15 other teams in the competition are from Brazil, Canada, Chile, Hungary, Japan, Israel, Italy, Malaysia, India and the United States.