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 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
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
n. 放射学；
radiation n. 辐
射”。
1. 词汇匹配题
请将左侧词汇与右侧英文释义匹配：
accelerate A. a place where an organism lives, especially in space exploration
habitat B. too soon, before the proper time
prematurely C. to increase the speed of something
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. (T/F)
The first nuclear-powered satellite was launched by the Soviet Union. (T/F)
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：
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。
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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.
cornerstone （n.
基石），拓展义
“a cornerstone of
education 教育的
基石”。
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二、课中解析：文本深度挖掘（25 分钟）
1. 信息梳理题
① What is the target power output of NASA’s new nuclear reactor on the Moon by 2030?
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② When did the first nuclear-powered satellite fail, and what was the consequence?
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③ What are the two main design constraints for NASA’s new reactor mentioned in the text?
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2. 逻辑分析题
① What is the function of the example about the 1978 Soviet satellite failure in Paragraph 2?
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② What does the author imply by mentioning “Chinese and Russian plans to deploy a lunar reactor by the
mid-2030s” in Paragraph 4?
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3. 主旨推断题
① Which of the following best describes the author’s attitude toward NASA’s nuclear energy program on
the Moon? ( )
A. Fully supportive without reservation
B. Cautiously optimistic, noting challenges and potential
C. Strongly critical of its feasibility
D. Indifferent to its development
② What is the main idea of the passage?
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
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 3-4 段核心内容）
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,
1.______ (reject/accept) 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/reserving) fluids into the thin lunar
atmosphere. It must maximize thermal efficiency while powering habitats, life-support systems, rovers,
communications equipment, and devices that 3.______ (convert/change) water ice to oxygen and hydrogen.
Safety begins before launch. To limit the hazard if a Moon fall, the reactor will not operate until it reaches the
launch pad 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/chemical) 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/can).
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。
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译文参考
核能登上月球
本月早些时候，美国国家航空航天局（NASA）代理局长肖恩·达菲宣布加快该局“裂变表面动力”项
目的推进速度，提出了一项宏伟目标：到2030 年在月球部署一座可产生100 千瓦电力的核反应堆。对于实
现月球与火星的持续载人探测而言，地表核反应堆至关重要。然而，过于激进的时间表可能会影响技术准
备工作的充分性，同时也可能对NASA 的其他科学优先任务造成冲击。
太空反应堆并非新鲜事物。1965 年，美国将首颗核动力卫星送入轨道，该卫星在一个非核部件过早失
效前，曾持续产生约500 瓦电力，运行时长43 天。1967 年至1988 年间，苏联发射了33 颗核裂变动力地球
观测卫星，其中两颗卫星的发电功率可达5 千瓦。1978 年，一颗苏联卫星因支撑系统意外故障，失控坠入
地球大气层，放射性碎片散落至加拿大境内2 万平方英里的区域。显然，反应堆能够在太空中运行，但最
终决定任务成败的，或许是反应堆与支撑系统的整合效果。
尽管如此，核裂变仍是目前能应对14 天月球黑夜或火星恶劣地表环境的最佳可用能源，只不过此次计
划部署的反应堆规模将超过以往的同类设备。早期的太空核反应堆体积约等于一辆汽车，而NASA 此次研
发的新型反应堆，体积很可能会超过一个标准货运集装箱。
重量必然是首要限制因素。发射与着陆系统必须在容纳反应堆体积与重量的同时，确保自身稳定性与
操控性不受影响。即便对于2022 年设想的功率40 千瓦的小型反应堆，NASA 提出的“系统重量控制在6
吨以内”的目标也颇具挑战性。如今目标输出功率提升至100 千瓦，而着陆器15 吨的有效载荷上限，无疑
给反应堆设计带来了巨大的约束。
热管理同样面临严峻挑战。反应堆需在低重力环境下控制冷却剂的状态，在真空环境中排出废热，同
时还要在月球昼夜温差高达200°C 的极端条件下维持稳定运行。因此，相关技术要求明确规定，需采用特
定类型的系统将热能转化为电能，且过程中不得向稀薄的月球大气中排放流体。该系统在为栖息地、生命
支持系统、漫游车、通信设备以及水冰制氧制氢装置供电的同时，还必须将热效率最大化。
安全保障需从发射前便开始着手。为降低发射失败可能带来的风险，反应堆在抵达月球表面前不会启
动运行，且在上升过程中仅装载新鲜（放射性极低）的铀燃料。NASA、美国能源部以及联邦航空管理局
在发射核材料方面拥有丰富经验，而此类规模的反应堆还需经过全面的安全审查，并制定详尽的放射性应
急计划。反应堆部署到位后，需配备防护装置以保护附近的宇航员，同时还需具备自主功率控制系统，包
括像地面反应堆那样的自动停机功能。
这些挑战并非无法解决。更关键的问题在于，2030 年的部署目标是否与其旨在服务的任务相匹配。目
前尚无计划在2030 年启用载人月球基地。若NASA 在目标用户（宇航员）抵达前，未为该项目预留充足
预算，或未优先推进其他可支持宇宙、气候及地球观测的关键任务，那么建造反应堆恐将造成资源浪费。
该项目的推进指令从竞争角度强调了紧迫性，提及中国和俄罗斯计划在21 世纪30 年代中期部署月球
反应堆。目前并无国际法禁止在月球和平利用核能。根据1967 年《外层空间条约》，在月球建造基础设施
可体现一国在该区域的存在，但并不构成领土主张。然而，在反应堆周边设立安全区域，可能会限制其他
国家进入该区域。达菲因此警告称，月球上可能出现“禁入区”，并宣称“我们要率先抵达那里”。
尽管竞争有时能推动科学发展，但现代创新的基石是合作。NASA 的“阿尔忒弥斯计划”旨在建立长
期月球基地，并为未来载人火星任务做准备，该计划已证明，国际合作能加速实现共同目标的进程。尽管
美国仍是目前唯一拥有可行的端到端太空探索计划的国家，但太空探索理应是全人类的共同事业，而非某
个国家的专属财产。
若能确保技术准备充分、时间表切实可行，并坚守科学使命，NASA 完全可将该项目打造成未来太空
探索的核心支柱。反之，若一味追求速度而忽视准备工作的充分性，美国不仅可能会阻碍自身的太空雄心，
还可能对国内气候韧性建设造成不利影响。
