话题：新能源带到月球 题源：Science 目标生：高三
一、课前预习：文本基础梳理（5 分钟）
Taking nuclear energy to the Moon
Earlier this month, Sean Duffy, the acting head of the US National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), announced an acceleration
of the agency’s Fission Surface Power program, with the ambitious goal of
placing a nuclear reactor on the Moon by 2030 that can produce 100
kilowatts of electric power. A surface reactor will be essential to enable
sustained human exploration on both the Moon and Mars. However, an
overly aggressive schedule could compromise both technical readiness and
NASA’s other scientific priorities.
Space reactors are not new. In 1965, the United States put the first
nuclear-powered satellite into orbit, which produced about 500 watts for 43
days before a non-nuclear component failed prematurely. From 1967 to
1988, the Soviet Union launched 33 nuclear fission-powered Earth-observing
satellites, including two that produced 5 kilowatts. In 1978, the unfortunate
failure of a support system resulted in the uncontrolled reentry into Earth’s
atmosphere of a Soviet satellite, scattering radioactive debris across 20,000
square miles of Canadian territory. Clearly, reactors can operate in space, but
integration with support systems may ultimately determine mission success.
Still, nuclear fission is the best available power source to operate
through the 14-day lunar night or on the harsh surface of Mars, though the
proposed reactor will be larger than its predecessors. Earlier units were
approximately the size of a car, but NASA’s new reactor will likely exceed
that of a standard freight shipping container.
Mass must be the first constraint. Launch and landing systems must
accommodate the reactor’s size and weight without sacrificing stability or
control. NASA’s goal of keeping system mass under six metric tons would
have been challenging even for transporting the smaller 40-kilowatt reactor
envisioned in 2022. With an increased target power output of 100 kilowatts,
the proposed 15-ton lander payload limit presents a formidable reactor design
constraint.
Thermal management will be equally challenging. The reactor must
control coolant behavior in low gravity, reject waste heat in a vacuum, and
maintain stable operation despite the Moon’s extreme temperatures, which
can swing by 200°C between day and night. Accordingly, the directive
requires a specific type of system to convert heat into electricity without
exhausting fluids into the thin lunar atmosphere. It must maximize thermal
efficiency while powering habitats, life-support systems, rovers,
communications equipment, and devices that convert water ice to oxygen and
hydrogen.
Safety begins before launch. To limit the hazard if a launch fails, the
reactor will not operate until it reaches the lunar surface and will only contain
fresh (very low radioactivity) uranium fuel during its ascent. NASA, the
Department of Energy, and the Federal Aviation Administration have
experience launching nuclear materials, and a reactor of this scale will
require extensive safety review and radiological contingency planning.
Once deployed, it will need shielding to protect nearby crew and autonomous
power control systems, including the ability to shut down automatically as
terrestrial reactors do.
These challenges are solvable. The greater question is whether the 2030
target aligns with the mission it is meant to serve. No crewed lunar base is
currently scheduled to operate in 2030. Building a reactor risks wasting
resources unless NASA’s goals before its intended users arrive budget this
program substantially or prioritize other critical missions that enable
observations of the Universe, climate, and Earth. The directive frames the
词汇预热
accelerate（v. 加
速），拓展义
“ acceleration n.
加
速
；
accelerator n. 加
速器”。
prematurely
（adv.
过早
地），拓展义
“ premature adj.
过早的；提前
的”。
accommodation
（n. 住宿；住
处；适应），例
“
hotel
accommodation
酒店住宿”
“
make
accommodation
for sth （为某事
做出调整 / 适
应）
radiological（adj.
放射性的），拓
展义 “radiology
一、课前预习：文本基础梳理（5 分钟）
1. 词汇匹配题
accelerate C. to increase the speed of something
habitat A. a place where an organism lives, especially in space exploration
prematurely B. too soon, before the proper time
radiological D. relating to radiation or its medical uses
cornerstone E. an important part of something that provides a foundation
2. 背景补白
文本背景：本文聚焦 NASA 将核能技术应用于月球探索的计划，涉及太空核反应堆的历
史、技术挑战及未来意义。NASA 的 “阿尔忒弥斯计划”（Artemis program）旨在 2025
年前让人类重返月球并建立长期基地，核能源是支撑该计划的关键技术之一。
3. 背景判断题
NASA’s Fission Surface Power program aims to build a nuclear reactor on Mars. (F)
答案解析：根据文本“
with the ambitious goal of placing a nuclear reactor on the Moon by
2030”
可知，该计划目标是在月球建立核反应堆，而非火星，故判断为错误。
The first nuclearpowered satellite was launched by the Soviet Union. (F)
答案解析：文本明确提到“
In 1965, the United States put the first nuclearpowered satellite
into orbit”
，即美国发射了第一颗核动力卫星，并非苏联，所以该说法错误。
4. 重难点句解析
原句：“ With technical readiness, realistic scheduling, and a commitment to science, NASA
could make this program a cornerstone of future exploration. If urgency overwhelms readiness, the
United States risks undermining its own ambitions in space and climate resilience at home.”
句子结构拆分：
program’s urgency in competitive terms, noting Chinese and Russian plans to
deploy a lunar reactor by the mid-2030s. No international law prohibits
peaceful nuclear power on the Moon. And according to the 1967 Outer Space
Treaty, building infrastructure on the Moon entails a country’s presence but
not a territorial claim. However, establishing a safety perimeter around a
reactor could limit access to that region by other countries. Duffy hence
warned of potential “keep-out zones” on the Moon and declared, “We want to
get there first.” Although science thrives sometimes spurred by competition,
modern innovation is built on collaboration. NASA’s Artemis program, which
aims to establish a long-term Moon base and prepare for future human
missions to Mars, has demonstrated that international partnerships can
accelerate progress toward shared goals. Although the United States remains
the only nation with a feasible end-to-end space exploration program, space
exploration should remain a collective human endeavor, not a national
possession.
With technical readiness, realistic scheduling, and a commitment to
science, NASA could make this program a cornerstone of future
exploration. If urgency overwhelms readiness, the United States risks
undermining its own ambitions in space and climate resilience at home.
n. 放射学；
radiation n. 辐
射”。
cornerstone （n.
基石），拓展义
“ a cornerstone
of education 教
育的基石”。
前半句主干 “NASA could make this program a cornerstone”，“With...” 为介词短语作状语，
表条件；后半句 “if...” 引导条件状语从句，主干 “the United States risks undermining its
own ambitions”。
翻译难点突破：
“cornerstone of future exploration” 译为 “ 未来探索的基石” ；“ urgency overwhelms
readiness” 意译 “急于求成而忽视准备工作”；“climate resilience” 译为 “气候适应能
力”。
仿写应用：
翻译：有了充分的准备、清晰的目标以及对团队合作的重视，我们学校能够让这个项目成
为学生发展的一块基石。如果匆忙行事而忽视了质量，我们就有可能损害该项目本应带来
的教育价值。
英文仿写：With adequate preparation, clear goals, and an emphasis on teamwork, our school
can make this project a cornerstone of students' development. If we rush to act while neglecting
quality, we risk undermining the educational value that this project is supposed to bring.
二、课中解析：文本深度挖掘（25 分钟）
1. 信息梳理题
What is the target power output of NASA’s new nuclear reactor on the Moon by 2030?
①
答案：
100 kilowatts.
答案解析：文本开篇提到“
with the ambitious goal of placing a nuclear reactor on the Moon
by 2030 that can produce 100 kilowatts of electric power”
，明确指出到
2030
年
NASA
在月球
上的新型核反应堆目标发电量为
100
千瓦。
When did the first nuclearpowered satellite fail, and what was the consequence?
②
答案：
The first nuclearpowered satellite (launched by the United States in 1965) failed
prematurely after 43 days, and the consequence was that a nonnuclear component failed.
答案解析：由文本“
In 1965, the United States put the first nuclearpowered satellite into
orbit, which produced about 500 watts for 43 days before a nonnuclear component failed
prematurely”
可知，美国
1965
年发射的第一颗核动力卫星在运行
43
天后因非核部件过早故
障而失效，据此可整理出答案。
What are the two main design constraints for NASA’s new reactor mentioned in the text?
③
答案：
The two main design constraints are mass and thermal management.
答案解析：文本分别阐述“
Mass must be the first constraint”
和“
Thermal management will
be equally challenging”
，表明质量和热管理是
NASA
新型反应堆的两大主要设计限制因素
。
2. 逻辑分析题
What is the function of the example about the 1978 Soviet satellite failure in Paragraph 2?
①
答案：
The example of the 1978 Soviet satellite failure functions to illustrate that although
reactors can operate in space, the integration with support systems is crucial and may ultimately
determine the success of the mission.
答案解析：第二段先提及太空反应堆并非新事物，列举了美苏过往的相关案例，接着讲
述
1978
年苏联卫星因支撑系统故障失控重返地球大气层的事故，随后得出“
Clearly,
reactors can operate in space, but integration with support systems may ultimately determine
mission success”
的结论，该案例是为了支撑这一结论，说明支撑系统整合的重要性。
What does the author imply by mentioning “Chinese and Russian plans to deploy a lunar
②
reactor by the mid2030s” in Paragraph 7?
答案：
The author implies that NASA's sense of urgency for the 2030 target of placing a nuclear
reactor on the Moon is partly driven by competition with China and Russia. At the same time, it
also paves the way for the following discussion that space exploration should be a collective
human endeavor rather than a national possession, and international cooperation is more
conducive to the development of space exploration.
答案解析：第七段提到“
the directive frames the program’s urgency in competitive terms,
noting Chinese and Russian plans...”
，表明
NASA
将项目紧迫性归因于竞争，作者提及中俄
计划是为了说明这种竞争背景。同时，后文又指出“
modern innovation is built on
collaboration”“space exploration should remain a collective human endeavor”
，所以该提及也为
后续倡导国际合作做铺垫。
3. 主旨推断题
Which of the following best describes the author’s attitude toward NASA’s nuclear energy
①
program on the Moon? (B)
A. Fully supportive without reservation
B. Cautiously optimistic, noting challenges and potential
C. Strongly critical of its feasibility
D. Indifferent to its development
答案解析：作者既指出了该项目面临的技术挑战（质量、热管理、安全等）和时间安排可
能存在的问题（
2030
年目标与载人月球基地计划不同步），也提到“
These challenges are
solvable”“With technical readiness... NASA could make this program a cornerstone of future
exploration”
，表明作者认为项目有潜力但需谨慎对待，态度是谨慎乐观的，故选
B 。
What is the main idea of the passage? (B)
②
A. The history of nuclear reactors in space exploration
B. NASA’s plan to build a nuclear reactor on the Moon and its challenges and significance
C. The competition between the US, China, and Russia in lunar exploration
D. The risks of nuclear energy application in space
答案解析：文章开篇介绍
NASA
在月球建立核反应堆的计划及目标，随后讲述太空核反
应堆的历史，重点分析该计划面临的技术挑战、时间安排问题，还探讨了其意义及国际合
作的重要性。
A 选项仅涉及历史，片面；
C 选项侧重三国竞争，非核心；
D 选项只讲风险
，
不全面。
B 选项涵盖了计划、挑战和意义，符合文章主旨，故选
B 。
三、课后拓展：题型适配与应用（15 分钟）
1. 语法填空改编（10 空，节选第 37 段核心内容）
Still, nuclear fission is the best available power source to operate through the 14day lunar
night or on the harsh surface of Mars, though the proposed reactor will be larger than its
predecessors. Earlier units were approximately the size of a car, but NASA’s new reactor will
likely exceed that of a standard freight shipping container.
Mass must be the first constraint. Launch and landing systems must accommodate the
reactor’s size and weight without sacrificing stability or control. NASA’s goal of keeping system
mass under six metric tons would have been challenging even for transporting the smaller
40kilowatt reactor envisioned in 2022. With an increased target power output of 100 kilowatts, the
proposed 15ton lander payload limit presents a formidable reactor design constraint.
Thermal management will be equally challenging. The reactor must control coolant behavior
in low gravity, 1.______ (reject) waste heat in a vacuum, and maintain stable operation despite the
Moon’s extreme temperatures, which can swing by 200°C between day and night. Accordingly,
the directive requires a specific type of system to convert heat into electricity without 2.______
(exhausting) fluids into the thin lunar atmosphere. It must maximize thermal efficiency while
powering habitats, lifesupport systems, rovers, communications equipment, and devices that
3.______ (convert) water ice to oxygen and hydrogen.
Safety begins before launch. To limit the hazard if a launch fails, the reactor will not operate
until it reaches the lunar surface and will only contain fresh (very low radioactivity) uranium fuel
during its ascent. NASA, the Department of Energy, and the Federal Aviation Administration have
experience launching nuclear materials, and a reactor of this scale will require extensive safety
review and 4.______ (radiological) contingency planning. Once deployed, it will need shielding to
protect nearby crew and autonomous power control systems, including the ability to shut down
automatically as terrestrial reactors 5.______ (do).
答案解析：
1. reject
：根据语境，反应堆需在真空中排出废热，“
reject”
有“排出、丢弃”之意，
“
accept”
是“接受”，不符合语境，故填
reject
。
2. exhausting
：文本提到“
without exhausting fluids into the thin lunar
atmosphere”
，“
exhaust”
表示“排出、耗尽”，“
reserve”
是“保留、储备”，不符合句意
，
填
exhausting
。
3. convert
：前文明确“
devices that convert water ice to oxygen and hydrogen”
，“
convert”
强调“转变、转化”，“
change”
虽有“改变”之意，但“
convert”
更侧重形态、性质上的
转化，此处用
convert
更准确。
4. radiological
：文章围绕核反应堆展开，涉及放射性相关安全规划，“
radiological”
（放
射性的）符合语境，“
chemical”
（化学的）与核反应堆安全规划关联不大，填
radiological
。
5. do
：此处是“
as terrestrial reactors do”
，用“
do”
指代前文的“
shut down
automatically”
，“
can”
表示“能够”，不符合此处指代动作的用法，填
do
。
2. 话题讨论题
“结合文本内容，谈谈你对‘太空探索应是全人类的集体事业，而非国家占有’这一观点
的看法。你认为国际合作在月球核能源项目中能带来哪些优势或挑战？”
讨论方向：可从 “技术共享加速进展”“避免资源重复浪费”“国际政治博弈对合作的阻
碍” 等角度展开，鼓励学生结合文本中 “中国、俄罗斯的计划”“ NASA 预算与优先
级” 等信息进行分析。
答案示例：
我完全认同“太空探索应是全人类的集体事业，而非国家占有”这一观点。从文本可知，
NASA
计划
2030
年在月球部署核反应堆，中国和俄罗斯也计划在
21
世纪
30
年代中期部署
月球反应堆。若各国各自为战，不仅可能导致资源重复投入，还可能因技术壁垒延缓太空
探索整体进程。月球及太空资源属于全人类，任何国家都不应将其据为己有，只有通过集
体努力，才能更高效地推动太空探索，为全人类谋福祉。
国际合作在月球核能源项目中能带来多方面优势。首先，技术共享可加速进展。不同国家
在核技术、航天技术等领域各有优势，比如
NASA
在航天探索整体规划和经验上有积累，
中国在航天技术快速发展过程中也有独特创新，若能共享技术成果，可避免重复研发，攻
克如文本中提到的质量约束、热管理等技术难题，缩短项目周期。其次，能避免资源重复
浪费。
NASA
面临预算与优先级的问题，若与其他国家合作，可分担研发成本和资源投入
，
将更多资源集中在关键技术突破上，而不是各自耗费资源开发相似系统。
但国际合作也面临挑战。一方面，国际政治博弈可能成为阻碍。文本中
NASA
因中国和
俄罗斯的计划而强调项目紧迫性，甚至提及“
keepout zones”
，这种竞争心态可能影响合作
的深度和广度，各国在利益分配、技术主导权等方面的分歧，可能导致合作过程中出现矛
盾和分歧。另一方面，各国技术标准、安全规范可能存在差异。月球核能源项目涉及核安
全等关键问题，若各国标准不统一，在技术整合、安全监管等方面会面临困难，需要投入
大量精力协调统一，这也给国际合作带来一定挑战。不过，总体而言，国际合作的优势远
大于挑战，正如文本中提到的
NASA“
阿尔忒弥斯计划”通过国际合作加速了目标进程，
月球核能源项目也应秉持集体事业的理念，加强国际合作，共同推动人类太空探索事业发
展。
