NASA模擬火星任務乘組員隔離378天後現身

作者：威爾・鄧納姆（Will Dunham）By Will Dunham

11月1日（路透社）——參與模擬火星任務的4名乘組員，在美國太空機構位於休士頓的詹森太空中心隔離378天後現身。這項行動旨在協助為NASA太空人未來可能前往地球鄰近行星火星的任務預作準備。Nov 1 (Reuters) - The four members of a crew who took part in a simulated mission to Mars have emerged after 378 days in isolation at the US space agency's Johnson Space Center in Houston, an endeavor designed to help prepare for a possible future excursion by NASA astronauts to Earth's planetary neighbor.

「這真是不得了的一年——我們這些模擬太空人，是出於自己的自由意志被關起來生活，」乘組健康與表現探索類比（Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog，CHAPEA）任務醫官艾倫・艾利斯（Ellen Ellis）週六與3名同伴現身後，在詹森太空中心發表談話時說。"It's been a hell of a year — analog astronauts living in captivity of our own free will," Ellen Ellis, the medical officer on the Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog, or CHAPEA, mission, said in remarks at Johnson Space Center after emerging with her three crewmates on Saturday.

這4人於2025年10月19日進入面積1,700平方英尺（158平方公尺）的3D列印棲地，執行包括在模擬火星土壤中種植作物，以及與NASA官員互動等任務；互動過程設有延遲，以重現行星際通訊本身會出現的延遲。The four entered the 1,700-square-foot (158-square-meter) 3D-printed habitat on October 19, 2025, and performed tasks such as growing crops in simulated Martian soil and interfacing with NASA officials with delays recreating those inherent in interplanetary communications.

NASA已透過機器探測車與軌道太空船探索火星，並有意最快在2030年代執行人類火星任務；在那之前，NASA計畫讓太空人自1972年以來首度重返月球。NASA, which has explored Mars with robotic rovers and orbiting spacecraft, has ambitions for a human mission to Mars as early as the 2030s, with plans before that to return astronauts to the moon for the first time since 1972.

艾利斯說：「我們維持美國在太空領域領先地位的機會窗口正在縮小。」"We have a narrowing window of opportunity to maintain US preeminence in space," Ellis said.

艾利斯提到美國總統唐納・川普（Donald Trump）政府推動的太空相關作戰軍事學院，以及建立月球基地的計畫。Ellis mentioned the service academy for space-related operations pursued by President Donald Trump's administration and plans for a lunar base.

艾利斯說：「讓我們掌握主動，以能造福經濟的科學引領前行，並確保我們在太空的傳承留給子孫後代。」"Let's seize the initiative, lead with science that will benefit our economy and ensure our legacy in space for our children's children," Ellis said.

其他乘組員包括任務指揮官羅斯・艾爾德（Ross Elder）、科學官馬修・蒙哥馬利（Matthew Montgomery）與飛航工程師詹姆斯・史派瑟（James Spicer）。The other crew members were mission commander Ross Elder, science officer Matthew Montgomery and flight engineer James Spicer.

艾爾德在結束隔離後發表談話說：「對火星而言，風險很高。但透過追求理解、堅定願景與領導力、創造力、堅毅、努力，以及令人難以置信的基礎，把人類送上火星的目標不僅可以達成，更是必然會實現。」"For Mars, the risks are great," Elder said in remarks after emerging from isolation. "But through seeking understanding, strong vision and leadership, creativity, fortitude, hard work and incredible foundation, the goal of putting humans on Mars is not only achievable, but rather inevitable."

這組乘組員將參與為期兩週的任務後評估，並與NASA科學家進行簡報檢討。NASA曾表示，該機構希望了解太空人需要具備什麼條件，才能適應地球以外長期任務的日常作息與要求，並維持健康、生產力與連結。The crew is set to participate in two weeks of post-mission evaluations and debriefing with NASA scientists. NASA has said it is looking for insight into what it takes for astronauts to adapt to the routines and demands of daily life on long-duration missions beyond Earth to keep them healthy, productive, and connected.

這是NASA第二次CHAPEA任務；另一組4人乘組員曾於2023年至2024年間在詹森太空中心隔離378天。This was NASA's second CHAPEA mission, with another four-person crew in isolation at Johnson Space Center for 378 days spanning 2023 and 2024.

詹森太空中心主任瓦妮莎・懷奇（Vanessa Wyche）在乘組員結束隔離時迎接他們。懷奇說，他們設法在有限資源下生活、維護棲地，並執行模擬火星作業。Vanessa Wyche, director of the Johnson Space Center, greeted the crew members when they exited isolation. Wyche said they managed to live with limited resources, maintain their habitat, and carry out simulated Mars operations.

懷奇也指出，乘組員如何因應模擬行星際通訊，也就是訊息發送與收到回覆之間存在時間延遲。Wyche also noted how the crew dealt with the simulated interplanetary communications, with lag times between sending messages and receiving responses.

懷奇說：「這些延遲需要耐心、周詳規劃，以及更高的獨立性——這些特質對未來遠離家園數百萬英里的太空人將至關重要。」"These delays require patience, careful planning and greater independence — qualities that will be essential for future astronauts traveling millions of miles from home," Wyche said.

懷奇表示，從CHAPEA乘組員及其經驗中學到的教訓，將有助於為先前往月球、並「有朝一日」前往火星的任務鋪路。Wyche said the lessons learned from the CHAPEA crew and their experiences will help pave the way for the missions first to the moon and "one day, Mars."

（威爾・鄧納姆華盛頓報導；野宮千鶴編輯）(Reporting by Will Dunham in Washington; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama )