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Have you ever been gazing at a starry sky when suddenly a bright dot glided into view?
当你凝望璀璨的星空时，是否见过一个亮点划过视线？
If it wasn't blinking, then you've had the distinct pleasure
若是这个亮点没有不停的闪烁，那么你太走运了，
of seeing one of mankind's greatest collaborative feats with your own eyes: The International Space Station.
因为你看到的是人类最伟大的合作壮举之一--国际空间站。
Roughly the size of six-bedroom house, and weighing more than 320 cars,
国际空间站约有六居室住宅那般大小，总重超过320辆汽车重量总和，
the International Space Station is so large that no single rocket could have lifted it into orbit.
任何一个火箭都无法独立把它发射进入轨道，只能通过组件在太空逐步组装。
Instead, it was assembled piece by piece while hurtling through space at 28,000 kilometers per hour,
这期间它以时速28000公里的速度飞行，
lapping the Earth once every 90 minutes.
每90分钟可绕地球转一圈。
It all started when sixteen nations signed the Space Station Intergovernmental Agreement,
这一切源于16个国家共同签订的《空间站政府间协议》，
laying out each partner's expected contributions to the ISS,
协议中预安排了各参与国对空间站需做出的贡献，
from modules and maintenance to sharing information and finances.
包括组件组装保养、信息共享及财政支持。
At an estimated 100 billion U.S. dollars, the Space Station would be the most expensive object ever built.
空间站预算约为1000亿美元，可能是人类史上造价最贵的东西了。
The whole world watched as a Russian rocket launched the first module of the ISS into the sky.
当俄罗斯火箭将空间站的第一个组件”曙光号“发射进入太空的时候，举世瞩目。
Zarya, meaning sunrise, was equipped with two solar panels and a propulsion system
“曙光号”功能货舱，配备有两块太阳能板和一个推进系统，
that had the important task of keeping the young station from crashing into the Earth by staying a safe 400 kilometers away.
这个推进系统肩负重要功能，即保持空间站始终距离地球有400千米的安全距离，以保证这个刚成立的空间站不会撞向地球。
The U.S. Space Shuttle Endeavour followed two weeks later carrying Unity,
两周后，美国的“奋进号”航天飞机也出发了，它载着“团结号”节点舱
a node module to which other modules could be connected, and an international six-person assembly crew.
（一个可以连接其他机舱的连接舱），以及六个人组成的国际组装小组。
Then came Zvezda, which brought communications and living accommodations.
然后是载着通讯和住宿设施的“星辰号”服务舱。
Ever since the International Space Station's first tenants arrived,
自从入住第一批“住户”后，
it's been continually occupied with more than 200 visitors spending an average of six months on board.
国际空间站就再也没有闲置过了，已有两百个多个访客，平均登录时长为六个月。
Astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti holds the record for the longest single space flight by a woman at 199 days on the ISS.
宇航员萨曼莎·克里斯托佛蕾蒂保持了空间站女子单次飞行时长最长的记录，达199天。
2001 saw the arrival of Destiny, the first of four research modules,
2001年，四个实验舱中，“命运号”首先到达空间站，
where astronauts spend approximately 36 hours a week conducting extraordinary experiments in microgravity.
宇航员每周花费约36个小时在舱中，进行微重力条件下的特别实验。
Their schedules are packed with exercise, two hours a day to fend off muscle atrophy,
日常安排包括每日运动两个小时，预防肌肉萎缩，
station maintenance and repair, and connecting with family or awe-inspired minds around the world.
空间站保养和维修，以及和家人或者世界各地的精英联系。
But they still find time for fun, with regular movie nights and even shooting the first music video in space.
还要找出时间娱乐，比如例行的“电影之夜”，比如在空间站拍摄第一部音乐录像。
Destiny also controls the seven-jointed robotic Canadarm2.
“命运号”同时也操控着加拿大太空臂2，它有7个关节。
Capable of moving more than 100,000 kilograms, it's perfect for unloading new arrivals from shuttles.
它可以移动超过100000公斤的重量，非常适合上载航天飞机载来的新组件。
2001 was a busy year for the Space Station with the addition of Quest, the main airlock for strolls outside,
2001年是非常忙碌的一年，“寻求号气密舱”也在这一年加入了空间站，“寻求号”是主要的气密舱，适用于舱外漫步。
and Pirs, a pier for Russian spacecrafts to dock including the ever-ready emergency escape vehicle, Soyuz.
俄罗斯“码头号对接舱”可使飞船能停靠在空间站上，上面准备有紧急逃生工具--Soyuz号返回舱。
Then, on February 1st, 2003, after delivering research modules to the ISS,
然后到了2003年2月1日，向国际空间站运送实验舱以后，
the space shuttle Columbia exploded during reentry tragically killing the seven-member crew on board.
航天飞机“哥伦比亚号”在重返途中发生了爆炸，机上7名太空人全数罹难。
After a four-year hiatus, work quickly picked up pace with the addition of more hubs, airlocks, docks,
直到四年后，太空站建设活动才重新恢复，加入了更多的处理器、气密舱和码头舱，
and an observation cupola for stunning 360-degree views of our world and beyond.
以及可以360度观看地球及外太空景象的穹顶仓。
Other critical components included platforms and trusses to support radiators
其他重要的部分还包括支撑散热器的平台和机械臂，
that direct all the heat generated by the station's electronics into space
这个散热器能将空间站电子产生的热能导入外太空，
and solar panels that are efficient enough to power 55 homes.
还有太阳能板，能量足够55个家庭使用。
It took ten years and over 30 missions, but finally, the International Space Station was complete,
耗时长达十年，执行了超过30次的任务后，国际空间站终于完成，
coinciding with the U.S. Space Shuttle Program's retirement.
同时，美国的航天飞机项目也终于退役了。
The Space Station continues to serve as an incredible model for international collaboration.
空间站则依旧运行，成为一个令人惊叹的国际合作典范。
This year, two people began a one-year stay on the ISS,
今年（2015），两位宇航员在空间站首次呆够一年，
allowing scientists to study the long-term physical and psychological effects of being in space,
可供科学家研究人类长期停留太空的生理及心理变化，
which would prove useful for increasingly ambitious space travel, like trips to Mars.
这将对人类雄心勃勃的未来太空旅行--比如火星之旅，大有裨益，
Over its lifetime, we've learned an immense amount scientifically,
整个历程中，我们不仅了解了很多科学内容，
but also about our capacity to work together and accomplish truly remarkable acts.
更重要的是学习合作完成卓越任务的能力。
