为什么要探索太空？

by Ernst Stuhlinger 译 / 辛献云

神舟十号的成功发射举世瞩目，然而你可曾想过：我们为什么要进行太空探索？航天工程所耗费的巨资花得又是否值得？如果你曾为这样的问题困惑，那么困惑的人并非只有你一个。1970年，赞比亚修女玛丽·尤肯达（Sister Mary Jucunda）写信给时任美国航空航天局马歇尔太空飞行中心科学副总监的恩斯特·施图林格博士（Dr. Ernst Stuhlinger），问他何以提议花费数十亿美元用于太空探索，而不顾世界上还有许多儿童在忍受饥饿的事实。在下文的回信中，施图林格用事实和道理阐述了太空探索的重要意义，展现了科学家的崇高理想与人文关怀。在大国不断推动太空探索的今天，愿我们以人类福祉为绳，不忘初衷。

May 6， 1970

Dear Sister Mary Jucunda，

Your letter was one of many which are reaching me every day， but it has touched me more deeply than all the others because it came so much from the depths of a searching mind and a compassionate heart. I will try to answer your question as best as I possibly can.

First， however， I would like to express my great admiration for you， and for all your many brave sisters， because you are dedicating your lives to the noblest cause of man： help for his fellowmen who are in need.

You asked in your letter how I could suggest the expenditures1） of billions of dollars for a voyage to Mars， at a time when many children on this Earth are starving to death. I know that you do not expect an answer such as “Oh， I did not know that there are children dying from hunger， but from now on I will desist2） from any kind of space research until mankind has solved that problem！” In fact， I have known of famined children long before I knew that a voyage to the planet Mars is technically feasible3）. However， I believe， like many of my friends， that travelling to the Moon and eventually to Mars and to other planets is a venture which we should undertake now， and I even believe that this project， in the long run， will contribute more to the solution of these grave problems we are facing here on Earth than many other potential projects of help which are debated and discussed year after year， and which are so extremely slow in yielding tangible results.

I believe that by working for the space program I can make some contribution to the relief and eventual solution of such grave problems as poverty and hunger on Earth. Basic to the hunger problem are two functions： the production of food and the distribution of food. Food production by agriculture， cattle ranching4）， ocean fishing and other large-scale operations is efficient in some parts of the world， but drastically5） deficient in many others. For example， large areas of land could be utilized far better if efficient methods of watershed control， fertilizer use， weather forecasting， fertility assessment， plantation programming， field selection， planting habits， timing of cultivation， crop survey and harvest planning were applied.

The best tool for the improvement of all these functions， undoubtedly， is the artificial Earth satellite. Circling the globe at a high altitude， it can screen wide areas of land within a short time； it can observe and measure a large variety of factors indicating the status and condition of crops， soil， droughts， rainfall， snow cover， etc.， and it can radio this information to ground stations for appropriate use. It has been estimated that even a modest system of Earth satellites equipped with Earth resources sensors， working within a program for worldwide agricultural improvements， will increase the yearly crops by an equivalent of many billions of dollars.

The distribution of the food to the needy is a completely different problem. The question is not so much one of shipping volume； it is one of international cooperation. The ruler of a small nation may feel very uneasy about the prospect of having large quantities of food shipped into his country by a large nation， simply because he fears that along with the food there may also be an import of influence and foreign power. Efficient relief from hunger， I am afraid， will not come before the boundaries between nations have become less divisive than they are today. I do not believe that space flight will accomplish this miracle over night. However， the space program is certainly among the most promising and powerful agents working in this direction.

Let me only remind you of the recent near-tragedy of Apollo 136）. When the time of the crucial reentry7） of the astronauts approached， the Soviet Union discontinued all Russian radio transmissions in the frequency bands8） used by the Apollo Project in order to avoid any possible interference， and Russian ships stationed themselves in the Pacific and the Atlantic Oceans in case an emergency rescue would become necessary. Had the astronaut capsule touched down near a Russian ship， the Russians would undoubtedly have expended as much care and effort in their rescue as if Russian cosmonauts had returned from a space trip. If Russian space travelers should ever be in a similar emergency situation， Americans would do the same without any doubt.

Higher food production through survey and assessment from orbit， and better food distribution through improved international relations， are only two examples of how profoundly the space program will impact life on Earth. I would like to quote two other examples： stimulation of technological development， and generation of scientific knowledge.

The requirements for high precision and for extreme reliability which must be imposed upon the components of a moon-travelling spacecraft are entirely unprecedented in the history of engineering. The development of systems which meet these severe requirements has provided us a unique opportunity to find new material and methods， to invent better technical systems and manufacturing procedures， to lengthen the lifetimes of instruments， and even to discover new laws of nature.

All this newly acquired technical knowledge is also available for application to Earth-bound technologies. Every year， about a thousand technical innovations generated in the space program find their ways into our Earthly technology where they lead to better kitchen appliances and farm equipment， better ships and airplanes， better weather forecasting and storm warning， better communications， better medical instruments， better utensils9） and tools for everyday life. Presumably， you will ask now why we must develop first a life support system for our moon-travelling astronauts， before we can build a remote-reading sensor system for heart patients. The answer is simple： significant progress in the solutions of technical problems is frequently made not by a direct approach， but by first setting a goal of high challenge which offers a strong motivation for innovative work， which fires the imagination and spurs men to expend their best efforts， and which acts as a catalyst by including chains of other reactions. Spaceflight without any doubt is playing exactly this role.

Besides the need for new technologies， there is a continuing great need for new basic knowledge in the sciences if we wish to improve the conditions of human life on Earth. We need more knowledge in physics and chemistry， in biology and physiology， and very particularly in medicine to cope with all these problems which threaten mans life： hunger， disease， contamination of food and water， pollution of the environment.

We need more young men and women who choose science as a career and we need better support for those scientists who have the talent and the determination to engage in fruitful research work. Challenging research objectives must be available， and sufficient support for research projects must be provided. Again， the space program with its wonderful opportunities to engage in truly magnificent research studies of moons and planets， of physics and astronomy， of biology and medicine is an almost ideal catalyst which induces the reaction between the motivation for scientific work， opportunities to observe exciting phenomena of nature， and material support needed to carry out the research effort.

As a stimulant and catalyst for the development of new technologies， and for research in the basic sciences， it is unparalleled by any other activity. In this respect， we may even say that the space program is taking over a function which for three or four thousand years has been the sad prerogative10） of wars.

How much human suffering can be avoided if nations， instead of competing with their bomb-dropping fleets of airplanes and rockets， compete with their moon-travelling space ships！ This competition is full of promise for brilliant victories， but it leaves no room for the bitter fate of the vanquished， which breeds nothing but revenge and new wars.

Although our space program seems to lead us away from our Earth and out toward the moon， the sun， the planets， and the stars， I believe that none of these celestial11） objects will find as much attention and study by space scientists as our Earth. It will become a better Earth， not only because of all the new technological and scientific knowledge which we will apply to the betterment of life， but also because we are developing a far deeper appreciation of our Earth， of life， and of man.

The photograph which I enclose with this letter shows a view of our Earth as seen from Apollo 8 when it orbited the moon at Christmas， 1968. Of all the many wonderful results of the space program so far， this picture may be the most important one. It opened our eyes to the fact that our Earth is a beautiful and most precious island in an unlimited void， and that there is no other place for us to live but the thin surface layer of our planet， bordered by the bleak nothingness of space. Never before did so many people recognize how limited our Earth really is， and how perilous it would be to tamper with12） its ecological balance. Ever since this picture was first published， voices have become louder and louder warning of the grave problems that confront man in our times： pollution， hunger， poverty， urban living， food production， overpopulation. It is certainly not by accident that we begin to see the tremendous tasks waiting for us at a time when the young space age13） has provided us the first good look at our own planet.

Very fortunately though， the space age not only holds out a mirror in which we can see ourselves， it also provides us with the technologies， the challenge， the motivation， and even with the optimism to attack these tasks with confidence. What we learn in our space program， I believe， is fully supporting what Albert Schweitzer14） had in mind when he said： “I am looking at the future with concern， but with good hope.”

My very best wishes will always be with you， and with your children.

Very sincerely yours，

Ernst Stuhlinger

Associate Director for Science

1970年5月6日

亲爱的玛丽·尤肯达修女：

每天，我都会收到许多来信，您的信是其中之一。但您的来信给我的触动比其他所有来信都要深，因为它来自一个饱含探索精神的心灵，一个充满慈悲的胸怀。我将尽我所能回答您的问题。

但首先，我要向您和您那些勇敢的姐妹们表达深深的敬意，因为你们将毕生精力都投入到了人类最崇高的事业中：帮助那些需要帮助的同胞。

在来信中您问我，在地球上还有许多孩子忍饥挨饿、濒于死亡的情况下，我怎么能提议花费数十亿美元用于一次火星之旅。我知道，您肯定不指望我给出这样的回答：“噢，我以前不知道还有快要饿死的孩子，但从现在起，我要终止任何形式的太空研究，直到人类完全解决饥饿问题！”事实上，早在我了解火星之旅的技术可行性之前，我就已经知道有孩子在忍饥挨饿。但是，和我许多朋友的看法一样，我相信飞向月球乃至最终飞向火星以及其他星球的旅行是我们现在就应开始的一项探险。我甚至相信，从长远来说，这一工程将更有助于解决目前我们在地球上所面临的种种严峻问题；而相比之下，其他可能实施的许多援助计划虽年年被人们争辩和讨论，却迟迟未能产生明显的效果。

我相信，致力于太空计划有助于缓解乃至最终解决地球上诸如贫困与饥饿这样的严峻问题。饥饿问题的根本在于两个方面：食物生产与食物分配。通过农业、畜牧业、远洋渔业以及其他大规模生产方式进行食物生产在世界某些地区行之有效，但在其他许多地区效率极其低下。比如，如果采用更为有效的方法进行流域管理、肥料利用、天气预报、产量评估、种植规划、农田优选、种植习惯调整、耕种时间优化、农作物调查、收割规划等等，那么大面积的土地将能得到更为有效的利用。

毫无疑问，改进所有这一切的最佳工具是人造地球卫星。人造地球卫星在高空围绕地球运转，能够在短时间内扫描大面积土地。它能够观察和测评各种各样的指标，这些指标可以显示作物生长态势、土壤状况、旱情、降雨量、降雪量等等。人造卫星能将这些信息通过无线电传送到地面接收站，以便人们妥当使用。据估计，即使是一个不那么复杂的地球卫星系统，在配备有地球资源传感器的情况下，在参与改进全球农业生产的项目时，每年也将增加价值几十亿美元的粮食产量。

而将食物分发给贫困者则是一个完全不同的问题。这个问题与运送量关系不大，而是一个国际合作的问题。若让一个大国将大批食物运送到一个小国，小国统治者可能会感到十分不安，原因很简单：他担心随着食物的输入，大国的影响和势力也会乘机而入。只要国与国之间的界限仍像当今这样泾渭分明，恐怕饥饿问题就很难得到有效缓解。我并不认为太空旅行在一夜之间就能实现这一奇迹，但太空计划肯定是实现这一目标最有希望、最为强大的推动力之一。

就拿最近阿波罗13号险些酿成悲剧的事故来说吧。当宇航员重返大气层的关键时刻来临之时，苏联（编注：本文写作时，苏联并未解体）停止了其与阿波罗计划所用频带相同的所有无线电信号发射，以避免任何可能的干扰，而苏联的舰艇也被部署到太平洋和大西洋海域，以备紧急救援之需。如果当时美国宇航员的太空舱降落到了苏联舰船附近，苏联无疑会尽心尽力地进行搜救，就像对待从太空返回的本国宇航员一样。如果苏联宇航员遭遇到类似的紧急状况，美国毫无疑问也会同样施以援手。

通过卫星监测与评估来提高食物产量，以及通过改善国际关系来提高食物分配效率，这只是太空计划将如何深刻影响人类生活的两个例证。我还想举出另外两个例子：激励技术进步与产生科学知识。

登月宇宙飞船的零部件必须具备高精度和极端的可靠性，这些要求在世界工程史上绝对前所未有。为满足这些苛刻条件而进行的系统研发为我们提供了一个绝佳的机会，使我们能够发现新材料、新方法，发明出更好的技术体系、更好的制造程序，延长仪器的工作寿命，甚至发现新的自然规律。

所有这些新获得的技术知识也可应用于地面技术。每年，大约有一千种由太空项目产生的技术革新应用于地面技术，由此带来了更为精良的厨具和农具，性能更优的轮船和飞机，更准确的天气预报和风暴预警，更好的通讯方式，更为有效的医疗器械，以及更好的日常用品和工具。此时您也许会问，为什么我们不先为心脏病患者发明一种遥控传感系统，而要先为登月宇航员研发生命支持系统呢？答案很简单：在解决技术问题时，重大进展往往不是直接产生的，而是通过先设定一个更具挑战性的目标，这样才能为创新性工作提供一个强大的动力，才能激发想象力，激励人们全力以赴，才能起到催化剂的效果，引发一系列的连锁反应。毫无疑问，航天事业扮演的正是这一角色。

若想提高地球上人类的生活条件，除了新技术外，我们对科学领域新的基础知识也有一种持续的强烈需求。在物理、化学、生物、生理学尤其是医学方面我们需要更多的知识，以解决威胁人类生命的所有问题：饥饿、疾病、食物和水源污染以及环境污染。

我们需要更多的青年男女投身于科学事业，我们需要为那些有才华、有决心从事富有成效的科研工作的科学家提供更好的支持。必须要有富有挑战性的研究目标，也必须为这些研究项目提供充分的支持。同样，航天工程在这方面也是一个近乎理想的催化剂，它为人们参与真正伟大的科学研究提供了绝佳的机会，包括对卫星和行星的研究、对物理学和天文学的研究，以及对生物学和医学的研究，并引发了以下三者之间的反应：科学研究的动力，观察令人振奋的自然现象的机会，以及开展研究工作所需要的物质支持。

作为新技术发展以及基础科学研究的推动力和催化剂，航天工程是其他任何活动都无可比拟的。从这方面来讲，我们甚至可以说，航天工程正在接手战争所特有的功能——三四千年来这种功能一直是战争“享有”的可悲特权。

倘若国与国之间不再比拼各自的轰炸机群和火箭，而是比拼各自的探月飞船，那将会避免多少战乱之苦！这种竞争带来的将是各种辉煌的胜利，而失败者也不会感到痛苦不堪，不会埋下复仇的种子或者引发新的战争。

虽然航天工程似乎在引领我们远离地球，飞往月亮、太阳和其他行星、恒星，但我相信，太空科学家对地球的关注和研究要远远多于对所有这些天体的关注和研究。地球将变得更加美好，这不仅仅是因为我们将用所有新的技术和科学知识来改善我们的生活，还因为我们对地球、对生命、对人类的理解在不断深化。

随信附上一张照片，这是1968年圣诞节期间阿波罗8号在环月飞行时所拍下的地球景象。在航天工程迄今所取得的许多伟大成果中，这张照片也许是最为宝贵的一个。它让我们看清了一个事实：在浩瀚无垠的太空中，地球是一个无比宝贵的美丽岛屿；除了地球那层薄薄的地表，我们别无栖身之所，因为我们周围是荒凉、虚空的宇宙。此前从未有那么多人意识到我们的地球资源其实是多么有限，扰乱地球的生态平衡又是多么危险。自从这张照片首次公开之后，人们发出越来越响亮的声音，对当代人类所面临的种种严峻问题发出警告，这些问题包括污染、饥饿、贫困、城市化生活、食品生产、人口过剩等。刚刚起步的太空时代使我们首次看清了自身所处的星球，与此同时我们也开始看清摆在我们面前的艰巨任务，这绝非偶然。

不过幸运的是，太空时代不仅仅为我们提供了一面审视自己的镜子，同时也为我们提供了技术、目标、动力甚至乐观的精神，使我们充满信心地挑战这些任务。我相信，我们从太空计划中所学到的充分印证了德国哲学家阿尔贝特·史怀哲所说的话：“我望着未来，忧心忡忡，但仍满怀美好希望。”

在此谨向您和您的孩子们致以我最诚挚的祝愿。

您真诚的

恩斯特·施图林格

科学副总监

1. expenditure [?k?spend?t??（r）] n. 经费，费用

2. desist [d??z?st] vi. 停止

3. feasible [?fi?z?b（?）l] adj. 可行的，行得通的

4. ranching [?rɑ?nt???] n. 经营大牧场或大农场

5. drastically [?dr?st?kli] adv. 极端地；强烈地

6. Apollo 13：阿波罗13号，美国阿波罗计划中的第三次载人登月任务，于1970年4月11日发射。发射后两天，服务舱的氧气罐发生爆炸，严重损坏了航天器，使其损失了大量的氧气和电力。登月计划失败，但三位宇航员最终安全地返回了地球。

7. reentry [ri??entri] n. （航天飞机、宇宙飞船等的）重返大气层

8. frequency band：[物]频带

9. utensil [ju??tens（?）l] n. 器皿，用具

10. prerogative [pr??r?ɡ?t?v] n. 特权

11. celestial [s??lesti?l] adj. 天空的，天上的

12. tamper with：（为了损害而进行）干预，干涉

13. space age：航天时代，太空时代

14. Albert Schweitzer：阿尔贝特·史怀哲（1875～1965），德国哲学家、神学家、医生、管风琴演奏家、社会活动家、人道主义者，1952年诺贝尔和平奖得主