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When the images were transmitted back to earth they had their answer.
影像回传至地球时，谜底终于揭晓
The far side was actually just the same as the near side.
月球的背面其实和正面没什么不同
But the lack of surprises didn't matter
结果虽然平淡无奇，但并不打紧
these blurred images made history.
这些模糊的影像开启历史的新页
And the mission consolidated the Russians' lead in the space race.
也巩固了苏联在太空竞赛中的领先地位
The Americans weren't keen on second place.
美国人对亚军宝座兴趣缺缺
I guess the American people are alarmed that a foreign country,
我想美国人民担忧的是外国…尤其是敌对国家
especially an enemy country can do this, it, we fear this.
具备这样的能力，这让我们很害怕
Definitely not admire.
绝对令人担忧
Do you admire the Russians for doing it or not?
你佩服苏联人的成就吗？
No, definitely not,
绝对不会
I said we should have been the first ones to have it.
应该由我们拔得头筹才对
The Russians had all the headlines,
苏联人在媒体上占尽了风头
but landing a man on the moon was an entirely new challenge.
但是让人类登陆月球是全新的挑战
At the time when Kennedy made his famous speech,
甘迺迪发表他那篇著名演说的时候
scientists knew so little about the moon
科学家对月球的了解乏善可陈
that the prospect of sending a human there
所以这篇登月宣言
seemed almost reckless.
听来几近蛮勇
Their knowledge of lunar geography was so sketchy
他们对月球地理的了解极其粗略
they didn't know where they could land safely.
连可以在哪里安全着陆都不知道
They didn't even know whether the moon's surface
他们甚至无法断言，月球表面
was strong enough to support the weight of a space-craft,
是否足以支撑太空船
or even a man.
甚至是一个人的重量
They needed answers quickly.
他们必须快马加鞭地找出答案
The first step for the Americans
美国人的第一步
was a series of probes called Ranger.
是发射了一系列被称为“突击者”的探测器
They carried on board television cameras to take
探测器上装载着电视摄影机
detailed close up pictures of the lunar surface.
以钜细靡遗地近距离拍摄月球表面
But it wasn't exactly a sophisticated approach.
他们的做法听似精密实则不然
The Rangers went in hard,
突击者探测器像神风特攻队般地
crashing kamikaze style into the moon's surface,
朝着月球表面猛冲不断拍摄
furiously filming away until the moment of destruction.
直到撞毁为止
The 4300 images taken by the Ranger probes
突击者探测器拍到的4300张照片
were the clearest views we'd ever had of our moon.
让我们看清了月球的真面目
It was now clear it was a harsh and hostile world.
那显然是个严酷、恶劣的世界
But the pictures were vital to prepare for the ultimate goal
但这些照片对达成登月目标而言
the moon landing.
非常重要
It was an epic endeavour no expense was spared.
这是一项史诗壮举，美国政府一掷千金
At its peak, the moon
登月计划在到达巅峰时
programme employed more than 400,000 people in America.
曾经在美国雇用了40多万人
And cost over 25 billion dollars nearly 150 billion in today's money.
耗资超过250亿美元，相当于今天的1500亿
People were electrified by the race to the moon.
登月竞赛让人们振奋不已
And you know,
我记得
the United States was spending I think it
美国为了这个计划
was 4.5% of our entire national budget on space
花费了全国预算的4.5%
but um most Americans were 100% in favour of let's push on
但是多数美国民众都百分之百支持登月计划
and whatever it costs, let's get to the moon.
只要能登陆月球花再多钱都可以
10, 9...
10、9…
By 1968 NASA was ready for a test run.
1968年，美国航太总署准备展开测试任务
4, 3, 2, 1, zero.
4、3、2、1、0
We have connect, we have, we have lift off.
衔接成功，我们升空了
Lift off at 7:51 am eastern standard time.
升空时间为东部标准时间早上7点51分
Apollo 8 wouldn't actually land on the moon,
阿波罗八号虽然不会登陆月球
but it would go into lunar orbit.
但是会进入月球轨道
Although they weren't going to touch down
虽然这次没有着陆
this would be the first time
但这是人类首度
that humans had ever visited another world.
造访别的世界
