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國際時事跟讀 Ep.K983: Women Make Space History
Highlights 主題摘要：
- Blue Origin's rocket carried the first all-female crew to space since 1963, making history with celebrities and professionals experiencing weightlessness together for ten minutes.
- Each crew member brought personal meaning to the mission, with Aisha Bowe and Amanda Nguyen making history as the first space travelers from their heritage groups.
- The brief journey transformed the participants, especially Gayle King who overcame her fear of flying and felt empowered to face new challenges after returning.
History was made on April 14, 2025, when Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket carried the first all-female crew into space since Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova's solo flight in 1963. The groundbreaking team included pop star Katy Perry, journalist Gayle King, Jeff Bezos' fiancée Lauren Sánchez, film producer Kerianne Flynn, former NASA scientist Aisha Bowe, and civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen. The mission, designated NS-31, marked Blue Origin's eleventh human flight and generated tremendous public interest due to its historic significance and celebrity passengers.
二○二五年四月十四日，藍色起源（Blue Origin）的「新雪帕德號」（New Shepard）火箭創造了歷史，搭載了自一九六三年蘇聯宇航員瓦倫蒂娜．捷列什科娃（Valentina Tereshkova）單獨太空飛行以來的首支全女性太空團隊。這支開創性的團隊包括流行歌星凱蒂．佩芮（Katy Perry）、記者蓋爾．金（Gayle King）、傑夫．貝佐斯（Jeff Bezos）的未婚妻勞倫．桑切斯（Lauren Sánchez）、電影製作人凱瑞安．弗林（Kerianne Flynn）、前美國太空總署（NASA）科學家艾莎．鮑伊（Aisha Bowe）以及民權活動家阿曼達．阮（Amanda Nguyen）。這次被稱為 NS-31 的任務是藍色起源的第十一次載人飛行，由於其歷史意義和名人乘客而引起了強烈的大眾關注。
The journey lasted just over ten minutes from launch to landing, with the fully autonomous vehicle reaching the Kármán line – the internationally recognized boundary of space at approximately 62 miles above Earth. After experiencing weightlessness for around four minutes, the crew returned safely to Earth, landing in the West Texas desert assisted by three large parachutes. During their brief time in zero gravity, the women floated freely inside the capsule, gathering at the windows to marvel at Earth and the moon. Perry, known for her chart-topping hits, spontaneously sang Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World" as they gazed at our planet from above – a moment King later described as "really special."
從發射到著陸，整個旅程僅持續了十多分鐘，這艘全自動飛行器到達了卡門線（Kármán line）——國際公認的太空邊界，位於地球表面上方約六十二英里處。在經歷了約四分鐘的失重狀態後，機組人員安全返回地球，在三個大型降落傘的協助下降落在西德克薩斯沙漠。在短暫的零重力時間內，這些女性在太空艙內自由漂浮，聚集在窗戶旁驚嘆地欣賞地球和月亮。以熱門歌曲著稱的佩芮，在他們從太空俯瞰我們的星球時，自發地唱起了路易斯．阿姆斯壯（Louis Armstrong）的《多麼美好的世界》（What a Wonderful World）——記者蓋爾．金後來形容這一刻「真的很特別」。
Each crew member brought unique meaning to the mission. Bowe made history as the first Bahamian-American in space and conducted several research experiments during the flight. Nguyen, a Nobel Peace Prize nominee, became the first Vietnamese and Southeast Asian woman astronaut. Sánchez, who reportedly conceived the all-women mission concept shortly after Bezos' own space journey, described looking back at Earth as "profound," noting how "quiet" yet "alive" our planet appeared. King, who has battled a lifelong fear of flying, called the experience transformative, stating afterward, "I stepped out of my comfort zone in a way I never thought possible, and now I feel I can take on anything."
每位機組成員都為這次任務帶來了獨特的意義。鮑伊成為首位進入太空的巴哈馬裔美國人，並在飛行期間進行了數項研究實驗。獲提名諾貝爾和平獎的阿曼達．阮成為首位越南裔和東南亞裔女性太空人。據報導，桑切斯在貝佐斯自己的太空之旅後不久就構思了全女性太空任務的概念，她形容回望地球是「意義深遠的」，並指出我們的星球看起來是多麼「安靜」卻又「充滿生機」。一直與飛行恐懼症搏鬥的金稱這次經歷帶有改變的力量，事後表示：「我以一種我從未想過的方式跨出了我的舒適區，現在我覺得可以接受任何挑戰。」
After landing, the emotional crew members exited the capsule one by one, many dropping to their knees to kiss the ground in gratitude. Hundreds of supporters, including media mogul Oprah Winfrey, watched from below, many wearing matching yellow outfits in solidarity with King. Perry, who brought a daisy to symbolize both her daughter and Earth's beauty, confirmed she would "definitely" write a song about her experience. The historic flight highlighted both the increasing accessibility of space tourism and its profound impact on those who experience it. As King reflected during the post-flight press conference, "You look down on the planet and think: That's where we came from? It reminds us how we need to do better, be better." The mission represents a significant milestone for women in space exploration and inspires future generations of female astronauts.
著陸後，情緒激動的機組成員一個接一個地走出太空艙，許多人跪下親吻地面以表達感謝之情。數百名支持者，包括媒體大亨歐普拉．溫芙蕾（Oprah Winfrey），在下方觀看，許多人穿著配套的黃色服裝以表示對金的聲援。佩芮帶了一朵雛菊，象徵她的女兒和地球的美麗，並確認她「一定會」創作一首關於這次經歷的歌曲。這次具有歷史意義的飛行凸顯了太空旅遊的日益普及以及它對體驗者的深遠影響。正如金在飛行後的新聞發布會上所反思的：「你俯視這個星球思考：那就是我們來的地方嗎？它提醒我們需要做得更好，變得更好。」這次任務代表了女性在太空探索中的重要里程碑，並激勵了未來幾代的女性太空人。
Keyword Drills 關鍵字：
- Cosmonaut [noun. a Russian space traveler]: History was made on April 14, 2025, when Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket carried the first all-female crew into space since Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova's solo flight in 1963.
- Tremendous [adjective. very big, great, or a lot]: The mission, designated NS-31, marked Blue Origin's eleventh human flight and generated tremendous public interest due to its historic significance and celebrity passengers.
- Spontaneously [adverb. happening naturally without planning]: Perry, known for her chart-topping hits, spontaneously sang Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World" as they gazed at our planet from above.
- Symbolize [verb. to represent or stand for something]: Perry, who brought a daisy to symbolize both her daughter and Earth's beauty, confirmed she would "definitely" write a song about her experience.
- Astronauts [noun. people who travel in space]: The mission represents a significant milestone for women in space exploration and inspires future generations of female astronauts.
Reference article:
1. https://www.npr.org/2025/04/14/nx-s1-5364460/blue-origin-launch-female-space-flight-katy-perry
2. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/gayle-king-space-launch-blue-origin-live-stream/