In this way we can build a power station in space, something that will expose a large area of solar cells to sunlight. These will absorb sunlight and turn it into electricity. Electricity can then be turned into microwaves which can be beamed down to Earth. On Earth the microwaves can be turned into electricity again.
用這種辦法,我們可以在太空建造一座發電站,那就是把一大塊太陽能電池板,曝曬在陽光里,這些電池吸收太陽光,并將其轉換為電能。電能再進而轉換為可以射向地球的微波,這些微波到了地球上又能重新轉換為電能。
In the same way, we can build computerized factories in space. These factories can make use of the properties of space — high and low temperatures, lots of good vacuum and no gravity. We can build laboratories and observatories (氣象臺),too.
我們還能用同樣的方法,在太空中建造電腦化的工廠。這些工廠可以利用外層空間的各種特性——高溫與低溫,大量的優質真空,而且一無重力。我們還能建造實驗室與觀察站。
Most of all we can build large spaceships. Here on Earth, spaceships have to consist mostly of huge fuel tanks. That's because it takes so much fuel to lift the spaceship off the surface of the Earth and through the atmosphere. Out in space, high above the Earth, there is no atmosphere, and Earth's gravitational pull is much weaker. Less fuel will be needed, so a large part of the ship can be used for the crew. These large ships can go to the Moon far more easily and cheaply than the old—fashioned rockets that left from the Earth.
最重要的是,我們能建造大型的宇宙飛船。在地球上,飛船船體大半是讓大型的燃料箱占用了。那是因為它要攜帶那么多的燃料,才能使飛船從地球上升起,并穿越大氣層。而在外層空間,在遠離地球的上空,沒有大氣層,地球的引力也微弱得多,因此需要的燃料也就少了,飛船的很大一部分可以供工作人員使用。讓這些大型飛船去月球,比用老式火箭飛離地球要容易、便宜得多。
A mining station can be set up on the Moon. The Moon's crust contains all the minerals we will need to build structures. It can be used to manufacture metal, concrete, soil, and glass — all in space. We won't have to use Earth's resources, which will always be badly needed on Earth itself.
在月球上,能建造一座采礦站。月球的地殼內,含有我們建造各類建筑所需要的各種礦物質,可以用來制造金屬、混凝土、泥土和玻璃而且全是在太空中制造的。我們將無須使用這些地球本身始終亟需的資源。