VOA慢速英语:Solar-powered Plane Aims for Round-the-World Flight

In 2012, a team of pilots and engineers from Switzerland successfully flew a plane powered by sun light from Spain to Morocco. The same team flew the aircraft across the United States in 2013. Now, the Swiss team is preparing for a flight around the world in 2015. The new, improved version of the plane, named Solar Impulse 2, was recently shown in Switzerland.
2012年，来自瑞士的一队飞行员和工程师成功驾驶一架太阳能飞机从西班牙飞到摩洛哥。同一个团队于2013年驾驶该飞机横跨美国。现在，这个瑞士团队正筹备2015年进行一次环球飞行。这架全新的改版飞机最近在瑞士进行了展示，它被命名为Solar Impulse 2。

Solar Impulse 2 is a very light, single-seat airplane. Its wings are 63 meters across. This large wingspan provides 200 square meters of space for energy cells that charge lithium-ion batteries. These special batteries are needed to keep the plane flying at night.
Solar Impulse 2是一架轻型单座飞机，其机翼有63米宽。这个巨大的翼展为给锂离子电池充电的能源元件提供了200平米的空间。这些特制电池被用于保障飞机的夜间飞行。

Four electric motors permit the plane to cruise at a speed of up to 140 kilometers per hour, at an average height of 8,500 meters above sea level. The longest flight of Solar Impulse 1 was made in May 2013. The plane flew from Phoenix, Arizona to Dallas, Texas, a distance of just over 1,500 kilometers.
四台电力马达可以让飞机在平均海拔8500米的高度以140公里每小时的速度巡航。Solar Impulse 1最长的一次飞行是在2013年5月，当时这架飞机从从亚利桑那州菲尼克斯市飞到得克萨斯州达拉斯市，距离超过1500公里。

Pilot Andre Borschberg says Solar Impulse 2 will be able to fly much longer distances between stops.
飞行员Andre Borschberg称，Solar Impulse 2能够在机场之间飞行更长距离。

"When we leave the coast of China, we don't know what the weather looks like on the side of the ocean. So these are big question marks," said Borschberg.
Borschberg说：“当我们离开中国海岸，我们不知道大洋另一面的天气状况。所以这些都是大问题。”

12 years of research and testing went into building Solar Impulse 2. The researchers and testers believe the aircraft will be able to fly around the world in 20 to 25 days and nights.
建造Solar Impulse 2经过了12年的研究和测试。研究人员和测试人员认为，这架飞机能够在20到25个日夜内完成环球飞行。

Andre Borschberg once flew jets for the Swiss Air Force. He says every detail on the airplane is designed to save energy.
Andre Borschberg曾经在瑞士空军服役。他说，飞机上的每个细节都是为了节省能源而设计。

"This airplane is an example of energy efficiency, how we save the energy, and how the energy from the sun is enough to keep the airplane in the air day and night," said Borschberg.
Borschberg说：“这架飞机是能源效率的一个实例。如何节能，以及如何让太阳能足够维持飞机日夜飞行。”

Mr. Borschberg will be able to sleep or even exercise when using the autopilot, a flight assistance device.
Borschberg先生将能够在使用自动驾驶仪时睡觉甚至锻炼。自动驾驶仪是一种飞行辅助装置。

Bertrand Piccard is the Chairman of the Solar Impulse project. He says the goal of the flight around world is to support energy efficiency.
Bertrand Piccard是Solar Impulse工程的总裁。他说，环球飞行的目的是为了支持能源效率。

"It is to bring products to their clients which are more energy efficient: in home buildings, in the transportation, in appliances, it can be lighting," Piccard said.
Piccard说：“这是为了给客户带来更高能效的产品：在建筑、运输和家用电器中，它能用于照明。”

Solar Impulse 2 begins test flights in May. The flight around the world is planned to start next March from an airport somewhere along the Persian Gulf.
Solar Impulse 2于今年5月开始试飞。环球飞行拟定于明年3月从沿波斯湾的某个机场开始进行。