EP20 | 人類重返月球！阿提米絲二號任務是什麼？｜Artemis II: Returning to the Moon!

人類睽違50多年再次邁向月球，阿提米絲二號任務象徵太空探索的新開始。Miss Y 用簡單英文帶你了解這次任務的重點，從飛越月球的任務設計，到重返地球時的危險過程，以及太空人在旅程中的真實感受。透過清楚的說明與故事性的分享，讓你在輕鬆聆聽中認識這項重要的太空里程碑。In this episode, we explore the Artemis II Moon mission in simple English. From the flyby journey to the dangerous re-entry, we look at what astronauts experienced and why this mission matters. A clear and engaging way to understand a major step in human space exploration.Leave a comment and share your thoughts: Transcript:Hey guys, I’m your English teacher, Miss Y! Welcome to the podcast made for intermediate English learners who want to listen to English, and learn about different topics in a fun and easy way. So guys, I just want to share something I watched recently. It’s a movie called Project Hail Mary. I actually liked it a lot. It’s not too serious, so it feels easy to watch, but at the same time, it’s really warm. There are also a lot of funny moments, so you don’t feel stressed while watching it. And the actor Ryan Gosling is pretty cute, so you won’t feel bored, ladies. The story is about space, but it doesn’t feel heavy or difficult. It feels more human. Actually, one thing I really like is that the main character is not a superhero. He’s just a normal person, sometimes confused, sometimes scared, but still trying his best. That makes the story more relatable, which means you feel like you can understand him. Also, I have to say, the visuals are beautiful. The images and special effects in the movie look amazing. Some scenes really make you feel like you’re actually in space. But after watching the movie, I started thinking… movies show space in a very exciting way. Everything feels fast, dramatic, and sometimes even unrealistic. But real life is very different. And that made me think about real space missions. Not the movie kind, but what’s actually happening now. Recently, there was a mission to the Moon by NASA, called Artemis II. Of course, real missions are not as cool or dramatic as movies. There are no aliens, no super exciting action scenes. But still, when you think about it, this mission is very meaningful for humans. It shows that we are slowly moving forward, step by step, back into deep space. So today, let’s talk about this real mission—and why it still matters, even without the movie-style excitement. So, you know how humans haven’t been back to the Moon for more than 50 years? Well, NASA is trying to change that with something called the Artemis program. And actually, this is not just about science. There is also some kind of competition between countries. Some countries, like the US and China, are both interested in going back to the Moon. So in some way, it’s like a new space race. A space race means countries compete to explore space first. But this time, the idea is bigger than going to the Moon and coming back. They want people to stay there longer, maybe even build bases, that means places where astronauts can live and work. And actually, the Moon is like a training ground, which means a place to practice before going somewhere harder, like Mars. On the Moon, scientists can test how humans live in low gravity. Low gravity means in this place things feel lighter than on Earth. They can also learn how to use local resources. For example, there might be ice on the Moon, and that ice can be turned into water, or even fuel. So instead of bringing everything from Earth, maybe in the future, astronauts can use what they find there. That’s a very important step for going to Mars. So that’s where Artemis II comes in. This mission is a really big deal because it’s the first time in over 50 years that humans have traveled toward the Moon again. There were four astronauts on board, but they didn’t land. Instead, they flew around the Moon and came back. That kind of mission is called a flyby, meaning you go around something without landing on it. And this mission is also special because the team is more diverse. Diverse means people from different backgrounds. It includes the first woman, the first Black astronaut, and the first non-American to travel around the Moon. The spacecraft they used is built for deep space, which just means space that’s far away from Earth, not like the area where satellites usually stay. Satellites usually stay closer. Now, this mission was like a big test. It was a test mission, which means you’re checking if everything works safely before doing something more dangerous. So the astronauts were testing things like life-support systems, that’s the system that gives them air, water, and keeps them alive, plus communication and navigation. Navigation means knowing where you are in space. During the trip, they traveled really far from Earth, even farther than any humans have gone before. They spent about 10 days in space. And you can imagine, being in that spacecraft for 10 days is not easy. You are in a very small space, you can’t just walk outside, and you are very far from Earth. So mentally, it can also be challenging. Mentally means in your mind, your feelings, your emotions. Also, during the mission, they had to trust the technology completely. Because once you leave Earth, you cannot just come back anytime you want. But actually, the most intense part wasn’t going to the Moon. It was coming back. This part is called re-entry, which means the spacecraft returns to Earth and goes through the atmosphere. This is one of the most dangerous parts of any mission. The spacecraft is moving extremely fast, and when it hits the atmosphere, the air creates a lot of heat. At that moment, the spacecraft was moving more than 30 times the speed of sound. That is very, very fast. One astronaut, Victor Glover, said the experience was very strong and physical. After the spacecraft came down quickly through the air, the parachutes opened. The parachutes help slow the spacecraft down. Glover said the sound of the parachutes opening was very loud and surprising. Before that, the astronauts also experienced a communications blackout. This means they could not talk to Earth for about six minutes. This happens because the spacecraft is moving so fast that it creates very hot gas around it. This gas blocks radio signals. Glover gave an interesting example. He said it felt like falling backwards from a very tall building, like a skyscraper, for about five seconds. This happened when the spacecraft was in free fall, which means falling with no control. During re-entry, something very dangerous happens. When the spacecraft hits the air, the air gets pushed very hard, and this creates extremely high temperatures, up to about 2,700 degrees Celsius, about 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit. So hard to imagine. There was also a small issue with the heat shield, which is the protective layer that stops the spacecraft from burning. Luckily, it still worked well. In the end, everything went as planned, and they landed safely in the ocean. After they came back, the astronauts shared their experiences. They said the mission was not just exciting, but also emotional. Seeing Earth from space made them feel connected to all people. They also said something interesting, they didn’t feel like they were representing only one country. They felt like they were representing all humans. And even though this was just a test mission, some of them said they wished they could have landed on the Moon. They were already thinking about the next step. And that’s really why this mission matters. Of course it shows our technology progress. It also shows human curiosity. Curiosity means the desire to learn or discover something new. Humans have always wanted to explore, from the ocean, to the sky, and now space. Artemis II shows that we are ready to take the next step again. Isn’t it exciting? So yeah, this mission is really the beginning of a whole new chapter in space exploration. What do you think, would you personally want to go to space one day? Or do you think it’s too dangerous? Let me know in the comments! I’m Miss Y, and I really hope you enjoyed learning English with me today. If you liked this episode, come back next time for another fun 15 to 20 minutes of simple, clear English and a brand-new topic to explore. Stay curious, and keep learning about the world in simple English. Powered by Firstory Hosting