China has successfully launched its Chang'e 3 lunar probe into orbit. The probe, atop a Long March 3B rocket, blasted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan province at 0130 Beijing time on Monday, December 2.
中国的嫦娥三号月球探测器已经成功进入轨道。北京时间12月2日凌晨1点30分,长征三号乙运载火箭携带着嫦娥三号卫星从四川省西川卫星发射中心成功发射。
Decades earlier, Chang'e and Yutu had sparked a humorous conversation between Houston and the Apollo 11 crew shortly before man landed on the moon for the first time。
而数十年前,人类首次展开月球之旅时,美国休斯敦指挥中心和准备登月的宇航员之间曾有一番关于嫦娥和玉兔的有趣对话。
As the Apollo 11 prepared to land on the Moon July 20, 1969, Ronald Evans, working at the control center, told the three astronauts to “watch for a lovely lady with a big rabbit,” according to NASA flight journals。
根据阿波罗11号通讯档案,1969年7月20日,阿波罗11号准备在月球表面降落时,指挥中心负责人罗纳德·埃文斯曾告诉三位宇航员,要他们“注意一个带着大兔子的可爱女郎。”
Appollo flight journal阿波罗11号通讯档案节选:
095:17:28 Evans: Roger. Among the large headlines concerning Apollo this morning, is one asking that you watch for a lovely girl with a big rabbit. An ancient legend says a beautiful Chinese girl called Chang-O has been living there for 4,000 years. It seems she was banished to the Moon because she stole the pill of immortality from her husband. You might also look for her companion, a large Chinese rabbit, who is easy to spot since he is always standing on his hind feet in the shade of a cinnamon tree. The name of the rabbit is not reported。
罗纳德·埃文斯:“收到。今天早上有众多关于阿波罗号的重要消息,其中之一是要求你们注意一位带着大兔子的可爱女郎。在一个古老的传说中,一个叫嫦娥的中国 美女已经在那里住了4000年。据说她是因为偷吃了丈夫的长生药被放逐到月宫中去的。你们也可以找找她的伙伴——一只中国大兔子。这只兔子很容易找,因为它总是站在月桂树下。”
095:18:15 Collins: Okay. We'll keep a close eye out for the bunny girl。
迈克尔·科林斯(“阿波罗11号”宇航员):“好的,我们会密切关注这位兔女郎。”