We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too.我們決定在這十年間登上月球並實現更多夢想，並非它們輕而易舉，而正是因為它們困難重重。因為這個目標將促進我們實現最佳的組織並測試我們頂尖的技術和力量，因為這個挑戰我們樂於接受，因為這個挑戰我們不願推遲，因為這個挑戰我們志在必得，其他的挑戰也是如此。

It is for these reasons that I regard the decision last year to shift our efforts in space from low to high gear as among the most important decisions that will be made during my incumbency in the office of the Presidency.正是因為這些理由，我決定將去年關於提升航天計劃的決定作為我在本屆總統任期內最重要的決定之一。

In the last 24 hours we have seen facilities now being created for the greatest and most complex exploration in mans history.在過去的24小時裏我們看到一些設施已經為人類歷史上最偉大而複雜的探險而建立起來。

We have felt the ground shake and the air shattered by the testing of a Saturn C-1 booster rocket, many times as powerful as the Atlas which launched John Glenn, generating power equivalent to 10,000 automobiles with their accelerators on the floor.我們感受到了土星C-1火箭試驗產生的震動和衝擊，它比把約翰·格倫送入太空的擎天神火箭還要強大好幾倍，可以產生相當於1萬輛汽車的功率。

We have seen the site where five F-1 rocket engines, each one as powerful as all eight engines of the Saturn combined, will be clustered together to make the advanced Saturn missile, assembled in a new building to be built at Cape Canaveral as tall as a 48-storey structure, as wide as a city block, and as long as two lengths of this field.我們看到了5個F-1火箭引擎，每一個都相當於8個土星火箭引擎的功率，它們將會用於建造更先進的土星火箭，在卡納維拉爾角即將興建的48層大樓中組裝起來。這幢建築寬一個街區，長度超過我們現在所在的這個體育場的兩倍。

Within these last 19 months at least 45 satellites have circled the earth. Some 40 of them were made in the United States of America and they were far more sophisticated and supplied far more knowledge to the people of the world than those of the Soviet Union.在過去的19個月裏至少有45顆衛星進入地球軌道，其中大約40顆標著「美利堅合眾國製造」的標記，它們比蘇聯的衛星更加精密，能為世界人民提供更多的知識。

The Mariner spacecraft now on its way to Venus is the most intricate instrument in the history of space science.正在飛向金星的水手號飛船是空間科學史上最複雜的裝置。

The accuracy of that shot is comparable to firing a missile from Cape Canaveral and dropping it in this stadium between the 40-yard lines.其精確程度比得上在卡納維拉爾角發射的一枚導彈直接擊中這個體育場的40碼線之間。

Transit satellites are helping our ships at sea to steer a safer course.海事衛星將使海上的船隻航行更加安全。

Tiros satellites have given us unprecedented warnings of hurricanes and storms, and will do the same for forest fires and icebergs.氣象衛星可以提前帶給我們颶風與風暴預警，它同樣也可以用於森林火災與冰山預警。

We have had our failures, but so have others, even if they do not admit them.我們經歷過失敗，但是別人也經歷過，即便他們不會承認。

And they may be less public.因此它們可能並不為人所知。

To be sure, we are behind, and will be behind for some time in manned flight.顯然，我們正落後於人，並且在載人航天方面還將繼續落後一段時間。

But we do not intend to stay behind, and in this decade, we shall make up and move ahead.但是我們絕不會處於下風，在這十年間，我們將會迎頭趕上。

The growth of our science and education will be enriched by new knowledge of our universe and environment, by new techniques of learning and mapping and observation, by new tools and computers for industry, medicine, the home as well as the school.我們在科學和教育獲得的進展將豐富我們關於宇宙與環境的新知識，新經驗，繪圖與觀測技術，用於工業，醫學和家庭的新工具和計算機，所有的一切都將促進科學和教育的發展。

Technical institutions, such as Rice, will reap the harvest of these gains.像賴斯大學這樣的技術院校將會因此受益。

And finally, the space effort itself, while still in its infancy, has already created a great number of new companies, and tens of thousands of new jobs.最終，儘管航天事業本身仍然處於童年，它已經催生了許多公司和數以千計的新興工作。

Space and related industries are generating new demands in investment and skilled personnel, and this city and this state, and this region, will share greatly in this growth.航天與其他相關工業對投資和特殊技術人員產生了新的需求。並且這個城市，這個州和這個地區將會極大地受益於這種增長。

What was once the furthest outpost on the old frontier of the West will be the furthest outpost on the new frontier of science and space.西部的舊邊界將會成為空間科學的新邊界。

Houston, your city of Houston, with its Manned Spacecraft Center, will become the heart of a large scientific and engineering community.休斯敦，你們的休斯敦市，以及它的載人航天中心，將會成為一個巨大的科學與工程共同體的命脈。

During the next 5 years the National Aeronautics and Space Administration expects to double the number of scientists and engineers in this area, to increase its outlays for salaries and expenses to $60 million a year; to invest some $200 million in plant and laboratory facilities; and to direct or contract for new space efforts over $1 billion from this center in this city.接下來5年，國家航空航天局希望這裡的科學家和工程師數量翻倍，希望將工資和開支提高到每年6千萬美元，希望在工廠和實驗設施上得到2億美元的投資，希望指導或與這個城市的航天中心簽訂超過10億美元的合同。

To be sure, all this costs us all a good deal of money.顯而易見，這些會花掉我們一大筆錢。

This years space budget is three times what it was in January 1961, and it is greater than the space budget of the previous eight years combined.今年的航天預算是1961年元月的三倍，比過去八年的總和還要多。

That budget now stands at $5,400 million a year--a staggering sum, though somewhat less than we pay for cigarettes and cigars every year.預算現在保持在每年54億美元――一個令人震驚的數目，儘管還稍小於我們在香煙和雪茄上所消耗的年消費額。

Space expenditures will soon rise some more, from 40 cents per person per week to more than 50 cents a week for every man, woman and child in the United States, for we have given this program a high national priority--even though I realize that this is in some measure an act of faith and vision, for we do not now know what benefits await us.航天支出很快就會從全國人均每週40美分上升到每週50美分，因為我們賦予了這個計劃極高的國家優先權――即使我認識到，目前這個目標從某種程度上來說還停留在信念與夢想中，因為我們無從知曉人們將會從中獲得怎樣的收益。

But if I were to say, my fellow citizens, that we shall send to the moon, 240,000 miles away from the control station in Houston, a giant rocket more than 300 feet tall, the length of this football field, made of new metal alloys, some of which have not yet been invented, capable of standing heat and stresses several times more than have ever been experienced, fitted together with a precision better than the finest watch, carrying all the equipment needed for propulsion, guidance, control, communications, food and survival, on an untried mission, to an unknown celestial body, and then return it safely to earth, re-entering the atmosphere at speeds of over 25,000 miles per hour, causing heat about half that of the temperature of the sun--almost as hot as it is here today--and do all this, and do it right, and do it first before this decade is out--then we must be bold.但是我想說，我的同胞們。讓我們向那個距離休斯敦控制中心遠隔24萬英里的月球發射一枚超過 300 英尺高，與這個橄欖球場長度相當的火箭。這枚火箭採用了新型合金材料，其耐熱性與抗壓性比現在使用的材料強好幾倍，只是個別部分還是未知數。其裝配的精密程度堪比最精確的手錶。它運載著用於推進，導航，控制，通訊，食品和維生的各種設備，肩負著前所未有的使命，登上那個未知的天體，之後安全返回地球。以超過2萬5千英里的時速重返大氣層，由此產生的高溫大約是太陽溫度的一半，像此時此地一樣熱——如果我們要在這10年間，正確地實現這些目標——那我們必須敢做敢為。

Im the one who is doing all the work, so we just want you to stay cool for a minute.我一個人做了所有這些工作，所以我們想讓你們冷靜一會。

However, I think were going to do it, and I think that we must pay what needs to be paid.然而，我認為我們正在付諸實踐，我們必須為所必為。

I dont think we ought to waste any money, but I think we ought to do the job.我並不覺得我們應該浪費錢，但我認為我們應該付諸實踐。

And this will be done in the decade of the Sixties.這些應該在60年代實現。

It may be done while some of you are still here at school at this college and university.它有可能在你們還在中學，這所學院或大學時實現。

It will be done during the terms of office of some of the people who sit here on this platform.它將會在臺上諸位的任期之內實現。

But it will be done. And it will be done before the end of this decade.它必將完成，並且應當在這十年結束之前完成。

And I am delighted that this university is playing a part in putting a man on the moon as part of a great national effort of the United States of America.我很高興這所大學能夠作為載人登月工程的一部分，能夠作為美利堅合眾國國家事業的一部分。

Many years ago the great British explorer George Mallory, who was to die on Mount Everest, was asked why did he want to climb it. He said, "Because it is there."很多年前，偉大的英國探險家喬治·馬拉里在攀登珠穆朗瑪峯時遇難。曾經有人問他為什麼要攀登珠峯，他回答說，「因為它就在那兒。」

Well, space is there, and were going to climb it, and the moon and the planets are there, and new hopes for knowledge and peace are there.好的，太空就在那兒，而我們將投入探索。月球和其他星球就在那兒，獲得知識與和平的新希望就在那兒。

And, therefore, as we set sail we ask Gods blessing on the most hazardous and dangerous and greatest adventure on which man has ever embarked.因此，在我們啟程之時，我們祈求上帝能夠保佑這個人類有史以來所從事的最具風險，危險與最偉大的歷險。

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