美國宇航局正在籌劃一個名為“百年星航”的項目，計劃在時機成熟時將載人航天器發送至火星，并讓宇航員在那里定居，最終將火星拓展為人類的另一個領地。據悉，美國宇航局埃姆斯研究中心已得到100萬美元的資金啟動該項目。華盛頓州立大學的研究人員表示，從技術上來說，送宇航員到火星是可實現的，但是載人航天器往返火星的項目在短期內還無法實現，而如果只是將宇航員單程送往火星的話，不但能夠大幅度減少相關開支，同時還能夠開啟人類長期定居火星的研究旅程。

“百年星航”的初步設想是向火星派駐4名志愿宇航員永久定居于火星，他們將定期獲得來自地球的物資補給，但同時也要想辦法在這顆紅色星球上“自食其力”。等到這個定居點能夠完全實現自給自足的時候，就可以為今后更大規模的領土拓展做服務基地。

NASA is planning a one-way mission to Mars in a program called 'Hundred Years Starship' in which, a manned spacecraft will take astronauts to Mars and leave them there forever.

NASA is planning a one-way mission to Mars in a program called 'Hundred Years Starship' in which, a manned spacecraft will take astronauts to Mars and leave them there forever.

NASA Ames Director Pete Worden revealed that one of NASA's main research centres, Ames Research Centre, has received 1 million dollars funding to start work on the project.

Washington State University researchers had said that while technically feasible, a manned mission to Mars and back is unlikely to lift off anytime soon and so, a manned one-way mission to Mars would not only cut the costs by several fold, but also mark the beginning of long-term human colonization of the planet.

Mars is by far the most promising for sustained colonization and development because it is similar in many respects to Earth and, crucially, possesses a moderate surface gravity, an atmosphere, abundant water and carbon dioxide, together with a range of essential minerals.

"One approach could be to send four astronauts initially, two on each of two spacecraft, each with a lander and sufficient supplies, to stake a single outpost on Mars. A one-way human mission to Mars would be the first step in establishing a permanent human presence on the planet," said Dirk Schulze-Makuch, a Washington State University associate professor.

Colleague Paul Davies, a physicist and cosmologist from Arizona State University, added that they aren't suggesting that astronauts simply be abandoned on the Red Planet for the sake of science; in fact they propose a series of missions over time, sufficient to support long-term colonization.

The authors proposed that the astronauts would be re-supplied on a periodic basis from Earth with basic necessities, but otherwise would be expected to become increasingly proficient at harvesting and utilizing resources available on Mars.

Eventually they envision that outpost would reach self-sufficiency, and then it could serve as a hub for a greatly expanded colonization program.

First, an appropriate site for the colony would be selected, preferentially associated with a cave or some other natural shelter, as well as other nearby resources, such as water, minerals and nutrients.

"Ice caves would go a long way to solving the needs of a settlement for water and oxygen. Mars has no ozone shield and no magnetospheric shielding, and ice caves would also provide shelter from ionizing and ultraviolet radiation," said Schulze-Makuch.

They added that in addition to offering humanity a "lifeboat" in the event of a mega-catastrophe on Earth, a Mars colony would provide a platform for further scientific research.

Schulze-Makuch and Davies acknowledge that such a project would require not only major international cooperation, but a return to the exploration spirit and risk-taking ethos of the great period of the Earth''s exploration.

"Informal surveys conducted after lectures and conference presentations on our proposal have repeatedly shown that many people are willing to volunteer for a one-way mission, both for reasons of scientific curiosity and in a spirit of adventure and human destiny," they wrote.

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(Agencies)

（中國日報網英語點津 Helen 編輯）