Solar power fromspace,Beam it down, Scotty.

　　從太空采集太陽能,傳送電力到地球吧,斯科蒂。

　　Harvesting solar power in space, for use on Earth, comes a step closer to reality

　　將太空收獲的太陽電能在地球上利用，這種理想又向現實邁出了一大步。

　　THE idea of collecting solar energy in space and beaming it to Earth has been around for atleast 70 years.

　　從太空中收集太陽能并將其傳送到地球的想法已經存在了至少70年。

　　In Reason , a short story by Isaac Asimov that was published in 1941, a space stationtransmits energy collected from the sun to various planets using microwave beams.

　　艾薩克阿西莫夫在1941年出版的短篇小說Reason中曾設想利用微波束將空間站收集到的太陽能傳送到各類行星上。

　　The advantage of intercepting sunlight in space, instead of letting it find its own way throughthe atmosphere, is that so much gets absorbed by the air.

　　從太空直接截獲太陽光而不任由它們穿過大氣層的優點是大部分光能量不會被大氣吸收。

　　By converting it to the right frequency first a space-based collector could, enthusiasts claim, yieldon average five times as much power as one located on the ground.

　　通過將太陽光轉換成正確的頻率光波，熱衷該技術的人士稱空間接收器產生的能量要比地面接收器平均高4倍。

　　The disadvantage is cost. Launching and maintaining suitable satellites would beludicrously expensive.

　　但它的缺點是費用高。發射和維護合適的衛星將需要異常昂貴的費用。

　　But perhaps not, if the satellites were small and the customers specialised.

　　但如果它們是為客戶專用的小型衛星，費用可能就不是問題。

　　Military expeditions, rescuers in disaster zones, remote desalination plants andscientific-research bases might be willing to pay for such power from the sky.

　　軍事遠征，災區救援人員，遠程海水淡化廠和各種科研基地都可能愿意為這種太空能源花付費用。

　　And a research group based at the University of Surrey, in England, hopes that in a few yearsit will be possible to offer it to them.

　　英國薩里郡大學研究小組希望在未來幾年時間內可能將這種能源提供給客戶使用。

　　This summer, Stephen Sweeney and his colleagues will test a laser that would do the jobwhich Asimov assigned to microwaves.

　　今年夏天，斯蒂芬斯威尼及其同事將測試能夠勝任這種工作的激光，用以取代阿西莫夫所指定的微波。

　　Certainly, microwaves would work: a test carried out in 2008 transmitted useful amounts ofmicrowave energy between two Hawaiian islands 148km apart, so penetratingthe 100km of the atmosphere would be a doddle.

　　當然，微波也能完成此項工作：2008年科研人員對微波做了實驗，他們在兩座相距148公里的夏威夷島嶼之間成功地傳送了大量微波能量，因此微波要穿透100公里的大氣層也將是輕而易舉的事。

　　But microwaves spread out as they propagate.A collector on Earth that was picking uppower from a geostationary satellite orbiting at an altitude of 35,800km would need to bespread over hundreds of square metres.

　　但是微波在傳播過程中會擴散，要想從軌道高度在35800公里的地球同步衛星上收集能量，地面能源接收器需涵蓋幾百平方米的范圍。

　　Using a laser means the collector need be only tens of square metres in area.

　　而采用激光手段意味著能量接收器只需涵蓋幾十平方米的區域。

　　Dr Sweeney s team, working in collaboration with Astrium, a satellite-and-space companythat is part of EADS, a European aerospace group, will test the system in a large aircrafthangar in Germany.

　　斯威尼博士領導的研究小組與歐洲航空航天集團EADS下屬的衛星與空間公司astrium合作研發，他們將在德國一座大型飛機庫內對該系統進行測試。

　　The beam itself will be produced by a device called a fibre laser.

　　激光波束本身將由光纖激光設備產生并在一個細長的光纖核心產生激光束的相干光。

　　This generates the coherent light of a laser beam in the core of a long, thin optical fibre.That means the beam produced is of higher quality than other lasers, is extremely straight

　　這意味著產生的激光波比其它激光有更好的品質，并且直線度極高。

　　and can thus be focused onto a small area.

　　這樣就能將能量集中傳送到一個小的區域范圍內。

　　Another bonus is that such lasers are becoming more efficient and ever more powerful.

　　這種激光波的另一個優點是具有更高的效率和更強的能量。

　　In the case of Dr Sweeney s fibre laser, the beam will have a wavelength of 1.5 microns,making it part of the infra-red spectrum.

　　以斯威尼博士研發的光纖激光器為例，它產生的激光波束波長為1.5微米，這使其成為紅外線光譜的一部分。

　　This wavelength corresponds to one of the best windows in the atmosphere.

　　此波長對應于大氣中的最佳窗口之一。

　　The beam will be aimed at a collector on the other side of the hangar, rather than severalkilometres away.

　　實驗中激光束的目標能量接收器不是位于幾千米以外，而是放置在了飛機庫的另一端。

　　The idea is to test the effects on the atmospheric window of various pollutants, and also ofwater vapour, by releasing them into the building.

　　其想法是把激光束釋放到建筑空間來測試不同污染物和水蒸氣對大氣窗口的影響。

　　Assuming all goes well, the next step will be to test the system in space.

　　假如一切進展順利，下一步該系統將送到太空中系統測試。

　　That could happen about five years from now, perhaps using a laser on the InternationalSpace Station to transmit solar power collected by its panels to Earth.

　　從現在算起，實驗可能會在未來的五年內進行，可能采用的方法是利用國際空間站的激光將太陽板收集到的太陽能傳送到地球。

　　Such an experimental system would deliver but a kilowatt of power, as a test.

　　作為測試，該實驗系統將只傳送一千瓦的電力。

　　In 10-15 years Astrium hopes it will be possible to deploy a complete, small-scale orbitingpower station producing significantly more than that from its own solar cells.

　　Astrium希望在未來10到15年內，將有可能部署一個完整的、小規模的地球軌道電站，使其產生的電能遠遠超過自身太陽能電池產生的電能。

　　Other researchers, in America and Japan, are also looking at using lasers rather thanmicrowaves to transmit power through the atmosphere.

　　美國和日本的其它研究人員也在尋求利用微波以外的激光透過大氣傳輸能量。

　　NASA, America s space agency, has started using them to beam energy to remotelycontrolled drones.

　　美國航天局已開始利用激光束將能量傳送到遠程無人駕駛飛機上。

　　Each stage of converting and transmitting power results in a loss of efficiency, but withtechnological improvements these losses are being reduced.

　　在電力轉換和傳送的各個階段都會伴隨效率的損失，但是隨著科技的進步這些效率的損失正逐步減少。

　　Some of the latest solar cells, for instance, can covert sunlight into electricity with anefficiency of more than 40%.

　　例如最近開發的太陽能電池能以超過40%的效率將太陽光轉換成電能。

　　In the 1980s, 20% was thought good.

　　但在20世紀80年代，20%的效率就被認為是不凡的表現了。

　　Whether the Astrium system will remain a specialised novelty or will be the forerunner ofsomething more like the cosmic power stations of Asimov s imagination is anybody s guess.

　　是否Astrium的系統仍只是一種專業領域的新奇玩意或者會成為象阿西莫夫設想的宇宙發電站那樣的科技先鋒，一切都還是未知數。

　　But if it comes to pass at all, it will be an intriguing example, like the geostationarycommunications satellites dreamed up by Asimov s contemporary, Arthur C. Clarke, of themusings of a science-fiction author becoming science fact.

　　與阿西莫夫同時代的科幻小說作家阿瑟C.克拉克曾幻想過地球同步通信衛星的存在，這種幻想如今已變成了科學現實，與此相同，如果Astrium的系統實驗能獲成功，它也將成為將科學幻想變成現實的有趣范例。

　　Solar power fromspace,Beam it down, Scotty.

　　從太空采集太陽能,傳送電力到地球吧,斯科蒂。

　　Harvesting solar power in space, for use on Earth, comes a step closer to reality

　　將太空收獲的太陽電能在地球上利用，這種理想又向現實邁出了一大步。

　　THE idea of collecting solar energy in space and beaming it to Earth has been around for atleast 70 years.

　　從太空中收集太陽能并將其傳送到地球的想法已經存在了至少70年。

　　In Reason , a short story by Isaac Asimov that was published in 1941, a space stationtransmits energy collected from the sun to various planets using microwave beams.

　　艾薩克阿西莫夫在1941年出版的短篇小說Reason中曾設想利用微波束將空間站收集到的太陽能傳送到各類行星上。

　　The advantage of intercepting sunlight in space, instead of letting it find its own way throughthe atmosphere, is that so much gets absorbed by the air.

　　從太空直接截獲太陽光而不任由它們穿過大氣層的優點是大部分光能量不會被大氣吸收。

　　By converting it to the right frequency first a space-based collector could, enthusiasts claim, yieldon average five times as much power as one located on the ground.

　　通過將太陽光轉換成正確的頻率光波，熱衷該技術的人士稱空間接收器產生的能量要比地面接收器平均高4倍。

　　The disadvantage is cost. Launching and maintaining suitable satellites would beludicrously expensive.

　　但它的缺點是費用高。發射和維護合適的衛星將需要異常昂貴的費用。

　　But perhaps not, if the satellites were small and the customers specialised.

　　但如果它們是為客戶專用的小型衛星，費用可能就不是問題。

　　Military expeditions, rescuers in disaster zones, remote desalination plants andscientific-research bases might be willing to pay for such power from the sky.

　　軍事遠征，災區救援人員，遠程海水淡化廠和各種科研基地都可能愿意為這種太空能源花付費用。

　　And a research group based at the University of Surrey, in England, hopes that in a few yearsit will be possible to offer it to them.

　　英國薩里郡大學研究小組希望在未來幾年時間內可能將這種能源提供給客戶使用。

　　This summer, Stephen Sweeney and his colleagues will test a laser that would do the jobwhich Asimov assigned to microwaves.

　　今年夏天，斯蒂芬斯威尼及其同事將測試能夠勝任這種工作的激光，用以取代阿西莫夫所指定的微波。

　　Certainly, microwaves would work: a test carried out in 2008 transmitted useful amounts ofmicrowave energy between two Hawaiian islands 148km apart, so penetratingthe 100km of the atmosphere would be a doddle.

　　當然，微波也能完成此項工作：2008年科研人員對微波做了實驗，他們在兩座相距148公里的夏威夷島嶼之間成功地傳送了大量微波能量，因此微波要穿透100公里的大氣層也將是輕而易舉的事。

　　But microwaves spread out as they propagate.A collector on Earth that was picking uppower from a geostationary satellite orbiting at an altitude of 35,800km would need to bespread over hundreds of square metres.

　　但是微波在傳播過程中會擴散，要想從軌道高度在35800公里的地球同步衛星上收集能量，地面能源接收器需涵蓋幾百平方米的范圍。

　　Using a laser means the collector need be only tens of square metres in area.

　　而采用激光手段意味著能量接收器只需涵蓋幾十平方米的區域。

　　Dr Sweeney s team, working in collaboration with Astrium, a satellite-and-space companythat is part of EADS, a European aerospace group, will test the system in a large aircrafthangar in Germany.

　　斯威尼博士領導的研究小組與歐洲航空航天集團EADS下屬的衛星與空間公司astrium合作研發，他們將在德國一座大型飛機庫內對該系統進行測試。

　　The beam itself will be produced by a device called a fibre laser.

　　激光波束本身將由光纖激光設備產生并在一個細長的光纖核心產生激光束的相干光。

　　This generates the coherent light of a laser beam in the core of a long, thin optical fibre.That means the beam produced is of higher quality than other lasers, is extremely straight

　　這意味著產生的激光波比其它激光有更好的品質，并且直線度極高。

　　and can thus be focused onto a small area.

　　這樣就能將能量集中傳送到一個小的區域范圍內。

　　Another bonus is that such lasers are becoming more efficient and ever more powerful.

　　這種激光波的另一個優點是具有更高的效率和更強的能量。

　　In the case of Dr Sweeney s fibre laser, the beam will have a wavelength of 1.5 microns,making it part of the infra-red spectrum.

　　以斯威尼博士研發的光纖激光器為例，它產生的激光波束波長為1.5微米，這使其成為紅外線光譜的一部分。

　　This wavelength corresponds to one of the best windows in the atmosphere.

　　此波長對應于大氣中的最佳窗口之一。

　　The beam will be aimed at a collector on the other side of the hangar, rather than severalkilometres away.

　　實驗中激光束的目標能量接收器不是位于幾千米以外，而是放置在了飛機庫的另一端。

　　The idea is to test the effects on the atmospheric window of various pollutants, and also ofwater vapour, by releasing them into the building.

　　其想法是把激光束釋放到建筑空間來測試不同污染物和水蒸氣對大氣窗口的影響。

　　Assuming all goes well, the next step will be to test the system in space.

　　假如一切進展順利，下一步該系統將送到太空中系統測試。

　　That could happen about five years from now, perhaps using a laser on the InternationalSpace Station to transmit solar power collected by its panels to Earth.

　　從現在算起，實驗可能會在未來的五年內進行，可能采用的方法是利用國際空間站的激光將太陽板收集到的太陽能傳送到地球。

　　Such an experimental system would deliver but a kilowatt of power, as a test.

　　作為測試，該實驗系統將只傳送一千瓦的電力。

　　In 10-15 years Astrium hopes it will be possible to deploy a complete, small-scale orbitingpower station producing significantly more than that from its own solar cells.

　　Astrium希望在未來10到15年內，將有可能部署一個完整的、小規模的地球軌道電站，使其產生的電能遠遠超過自身太陽能電池產生的電能。

　　Other researchers, in America and Japan, are also looking at using lasers rather thanmicrowaves to transmit power through the atmosphere.

　　美國和日本的其它研究人員也在尋求利用微波以外的激光透過大氣傳輸能量。

　　NASA, America s space agency, has started using them to beam energy to remotelycontrolled drones.

　　美國航天局已開始利用激光束將能量傳送到遠程無人駕駛飛機上。

　　Each stage of converting and transmitting power results in a loss of efficiency, but withtechnological improvements these losses are being reduced.

　　在電力轉換和傳送的各個階段都會伴隨效率的損失，但是隨著科技的進步這些效率的損失正逐步減少。

　　Some of the latest solar cells, for instance, can covert sunlight into electricity with anefficiency of more than 40%.

　　例如最近開發的太陽能電池能以超過40%的效率將太陽光轉換成電能。

　　In the 1980s, 20% was thought good.

　　但在20世紀80年代，20%的效率就被認為是不凡的表現了。

　　Whether the Astrium system will remain a specialised novelty or will be the forerunner ofsomething more like the cosmic power stations of Asimov s imagination is anybody s guess.

　　是否Astrium的系統仍只是一種專業領域的新奇玩意或者會成為象阿西莫夫設想的宇宙發電站那樣的科技先鋒，一切都還是未知數。

　　But if it comes to pass at all, it will be an intriguing example, like the geostationarycommunications satellites dreamed up by Asimov s contemporary, Arthur C. Clarke, of themusings of a science-fiction author becoming science fact.

　　與阿西莫夫同時代的科幻小說作家阿瑟C.克拉克曾幻想過地球同步通信衛星的存在，這種幻想如今已變成了科學現實，與此相同，如果Astrium的系統實驗能獲成功，它也將成為將科學幻想變成現實的有趣范例。