NASA半人马座火箭的神秘回归：英语精读讲义

On the 6th of February, 2018,

2018年2月6日，

the Falcon Heavy launched Starman

猎鹰重型火箭发射了“星侠”

and his Tesla Roadster into space.

和他的特斯拉Roadster跑车进入太空。

After leaving Earth, Starman ended up on an orbit around the Sun. 短語動詞

离开地球后，星侠最终进入了环绕太阳的轨道。

The chances of Starman coming back to Earth are extremely low. 語法

星侠重返地球的几率极低。

Its orbit isn't expected to intersect Earth until 2047.

预计它的轨道要到2047年才会与地球相交。

Even when this happens, 語法

即使到了那时，

it will only pass by briefly at a distance of 2 million miles. 短語動詞

它也只是在200万英里的距离上短暂飞越。

After this close encounter,

在这次近距离接触之后，

it will continue on its orbit around the Sun,

它将继续在环绕太阳的轨道上运行，

not returning to Earth for at least another few decades.

至少在未来几十年内不会再回到地球。

Throughout the history of spaceflight,

纵观航天史，

we have launched hundreds of objects beyond Earth's orbit.

我们已经向地球轨道之外发射了数百个物体。

Some objects like the Voyager space probes

像旅行者号太空探测器这样的一些物体，

have even gone fast enough to leave the solar system.

甚至已经达到了足以飞出太阳系的速度。

Once something is sent into space,

物体一旦被送入太空，

that is usually the last goodbye.

通常就意味着最后的告别。

And unless something is specifically designed to return,

除非某些物体被专门设计用于返回，

these objects are destined to spend the rest of their lives in space. 短語搭配

否则这些物体注定要在太空中度过余生。

Natural objects, however, enter Earth's atmosphere every day.

然而，天然物体每天都会进入地球大气层。

Most of these are large fragments of asteroids

它们大多数是小行星的大块碎片，

that broke apart a long time ago in our solar system. 短語動詞

很久以前就在我们的太阳系中解体了。

Some of these are large enough to survive the intense journey through Earth's atmosphere 語法

其中有一些体积足够大，能撑过穿越地球大气层的激烈旅程，

and reach the surface.

最终到达地表。

Back in September of this year,

就在今年9月，

astronomers were observing some of these asteroids

天文学家们正在观察其中的一些小行星，

using the NASA survey telescope on the island of Maui.

他们使用的是位于毛伊岛的NASA巡天望远镜。

This specific group of astronomers

这一组天文学家

were focusing on asteroids headed in the direction of Earth.

当时正专注于研究朝地球方向飞行的小行星。

They discovered an object that was heading toward Earth with some unusual characteristics.

他们发现了一个正朝地球飞来的物体，其特征有些不同寻常。

Everybody stay calm.

大家保持冷静。

What's the procedure, everyone?

各位，按什么程序走？

What's the procedure? Stay calm!

按什么程序走？保持冷静！

This object flew past the Moon at 3,000 km/h,

这个物体以3000公里/小时的速度飞过月球，

much slower than the typical speed of an asteroid, 語法

远低于小行星的一般速度，

which can sometimes reach tens of thousands of kilometers per hour. 短語搭配

小行星的速度有时可以达到每小时数万公里。

Most asteroids have a more oval-shaped orbit

大多数小行星的轨道更偏向椭圆形，

on a plane that's tilted compared to Earth.

且其轨道平面相对于地球是倾斜的。

Initial calculations of this object showed

对该物体的初步计算表明，

that it had a very circular orbit around the Sun,

它有一个非常圆的环日轨道，

similar to that of Earth.

与地球的轨道相似。

On further inspection, 表達脈絡

经过进一步观察，

the orbital plane of this object wasn't tilted,

该物体的轨道平面并没有倾斜，

and in fact, perfectly matched the orbital plane of Earth.

事实上，它与地球的轨道平面完全吻合。

This low velocity paired with an Earth-like orbit 短語搭配

这种低速加上类似地球的轨道，

made the astronomers think that it wasn't an asteroid, 講解

让天文学家认为它不是小行星，

but in fact, an artificial object that originated from Earth.

而是起源于地球的人造物体。

They continued to observe this object and gave it the name 2020-SO.

他们继续观察这个物体，并将其命名为2020-SO。

After further analysis and tracing back its orbit, 短語動詞

经过进一步分析并追溯其轨道，

they found that object 2020 made a close approach to Earth back in 1966. 短語搭配

他们发现2020号物体曾在1966年近距离飞跃地球。

Looking through the launch archives from this time period,

翻阅这一时期的发射档案，

they found a mission that lined up with this almost perfectly, 短語動詞

他们发现有一个任务与此几乎完全吻合，

the Surveyor 2 mission.

即勘测者2号任务。

Lifting off from Cape Canaveral on an Atlas-Centaur rocket,

勘测者2号搭乘宇宙神-半人马火箭从卡纳维拉尔角升空，

Surveyor 2 headed for the Moon.

飞向月球。

It was destined to conduct experiments on the lunar surface

它注定要在月球表面进行实验，

and send back detailed images that would help NASA plan for the upcoming Apollo missions.

并传回详细的图像，以帮助NASA为即将到来的阿波罗任务做准备。

After all,

毕竟，

humans were just 3 years away from walking on the Moon, 語法

距离人类漫步月球只有3年时间了，

and yet very little was known about the world they would be entering.

然而对于他们即将进入的这个世界，人类却知之甚少。

After launch,

发射后，

the Centaur upper stage placed the spacecraft on a path toward the Moon.

半人马上面级将航天器送入飞向月球的轨道。

But as Surveyor tried to refine its path,

但当勘测者号试图修正轨道时，

one of its thrusters failed and caused the spacecraft to lose control 語法

其中一个推进器发生故障，导致航天器失控，

until it hit the Moon at almost 10,000 km/h.

直到它以近10000公里/小时的速度撞向月球。

The Centaur upper stage continued on,

而半人马上面级则继续飞行，

flying past the Moon, and entering into an unknown orbit around the Sun.

飞越月球，进入了一条未知的环日轨道。

For decades,

几十年来，

this rocket booster was out there doing laps around the Sun, 習語

这个火箭助推器一直在那里绕着太阳转圈，

but its orbit was slowly being changed by the continuous pressure from the Sun.

但它的轨道正被太阳持续的压力慢慢改变。

The radiation which blasts out from the Sun

太阳爆发出的辐射

exerts a small but constant force on objects in space, 短語搭配

对太空中的物体施加了一股微小但持续的力，

like a very gentle breeze. 表達脈絡

就像一阵非常轻柔的微风。

Since the Centaur booster is essentially an empty metal tube,

由于半人马助推器本质上是一个空的金属管，

it's very lightweight,

它的重量非常轻，

but still has a large surface area.

但仍具有很大的表面积。

This makes it much more susceptible to the solar winds than a dense and heavy asteroid. 用詞

这使得它比致密沉重的小行星更容易受到太阳风的影响。

After observing this gradual change in orbit,

在观察到这种轨道的渐变后，

astronomers confirmed that this couldn't be an asteroid 語法

天文学家确认这不可能是小行星，

and it must be something made by humans.

肯定是人类制造的东西。

But the astronomers still weren't sure if this object really was

但天文学家仍然无法确定这个物体是否真的是

the Centaur rocket from the '60s making a surprise return to Earth.

60年代的半人马火箭出人意料地返回了地球。

2020 was on a trajectory to enter Earth's orbit in November,

2020号物体的轨道轨迹使其在11月进入了地球轨道，

and the astronomers calculated that it would make several close approaches during its stay

天文学家计算出，在它停留期间会有几次近距离接近地球，

before returning to an orbit around the Sun in March.

然后在3月份重返环日轨道。

This would be a great chance to observe the object in more detail

这将是一个更详细地观察该物体的绝佳机会，

and determine if it really was the Centaur rocket.

以确定它是否真的是半人马火箭。

However, this object was incredibly faint

然而，这个物体极其黯淡，

and required some of the world's most powerful telescopes to even see it.

甚至需要动用世界上最强大的望远镜才能看到它。

At its closest approach,

在它最接近地球时，

it would reach an apparent magnitude of just 14. 文化背景

其视星等也才勉强达到14等。

On the magnitude scale,

在星等标度上，

objects only become visible to the human eye once they reach six or below.

只有当星等达到6或更低时，物体肉眼才可见。

To put this into perspective, 表達脈絡

为了更直观地说明这一点，

most of the planets in our solar system have a magnitude below one,

太阳系中大多数行星的星等都低于1等，

and even they can be difficult to spot with the naked eye. 短語搭配

甚至连它们也很难用肉眼发现。

The only way scientists could prove this was the Centaur rocket 語法

科学家能证明它是半人马火箭的唯一方法，

would be to find out if it was made from the same material,

就是查明它是否由相同的材料制成，

301 stainless steel.

即301不锈钢。

In order to do this,

为了做到这一点，

scientists took over NASA's infrared telescope in Hawaii 短語動詞

科学家们接管了NASA位于夏威夷的红外望远镜，

and began doing spectroscopy observations.

并开始进行光谱观测。

This telescope has a 3-m wide mirror

这台望远镜拥有一面3米宽的反射镜，

and is located at an altitude of 4,000 m on top of a mountain.

位于海拔4000米的山顶上。

It can measure a wide range of wavelengths in the infrared spectrum,

它可以测量红外光谱中很大范围的波长，

allowing it to perform spectroscopy observations.

从而能够执行光谱观测。

This technique is often used to study the atmosphere of distant exoplanets 語法

这项技术经常被用来研究遥远系外行星的大气层，

to determine what elements they are made of.

以确定它们是由什么元素组成的。

As a planet passes in front of its star,

当行星从它的恒星前方经过时，

the molecules in the atmosphere absorb light at specific wavelengths.

大气中的分子会吸收特定波长的光。

By observing these dips at specific wavelengths, 語法

通过观察这些特定波长处的下降，

we can compare it to the data we have here on Earth

我们可以将其与我们在地球上拥有的数据进行比较，

and determine which atoms and molecules are present in the atmosphere.

从而确定大气中存在哪些原子和分子。

The same technique can be used on a solid object to determine its material.

同样的技术也可以用于固体物体，以确定其材质。

The atoms and molecules that make up stainless steel 短語動詞

构成不锈钢的原子和分子

will emit and absorb light at very specific wavelengths.

会在非常特定的波长下发射和吸收光。

So the scientists took spectral measurements of object 2020

因此，科学家们对2020号物体进行了光谱测量，

and compared it to measurements made of stainless steel here on Earth.

并将其与地球上不锈钢的测量结果进行了比较。

With this data,

有了这些数据，

the scientists could compare the two measurements

科学家们就可以比较这两种测量结果，

and see if they had similar light behavior.

看看它们是否具有相似的光学行为。

The data showed some similarities,

数据显示出了一些相似之处，

but the match was far from perfect. 習語

但匹配度远非完美。

They realized that the differences in results could have been from observing ordinary stainless steel

他们意识到结果的差异可能是因为他们用普通的不锈钢

against stainless steel which had been exposed to the harsh conditions of outer space for 54 years. 短語搭配

去跟在严酷外太空环境中暴露了54年的不锈钢进行了比较。

In order to get a real match,

为了获得真正的匹配结果，

they would need to compare it to a piece of stainless steel

他们需要将其与另一块

that has also seen the harshness of space.

同样经历过太空严酷环境的不锈钢进行比较。

Luckily, there have been 245 Centaur launches since 1962, 語法

幸运的是，自1962年以来，半人马火箭共发射了245次，

and many of the old stages still remain in Earth's orbit.

许多废弃的火箭级仍留在地球轨道上。

But observing one of these old rocket stages for long enough would be a massive challenge.

但要对这些旧火箭级进行足够长时间的观察，将是一项巨大的挑战。

Objects in Earth's orbit can move across the sky at an incredible speed.

地球轨道上的物体在天空中移动的速度快得惊人。

This means NASA's infrared telescope

这意味着NASA的红外望远镜

would struggle to lock on to the object for long enough to get a good amount of data. 講解

很难长时间锁定该物体以获取足够的数据。

They chose to observe a Centaur rocket stage which launched in 1971,

他们选择观察一个在1971年发射的半人马火箭级，

taking a communication satellite into orbit.

该火箭当时将一颗通信卫星送入了轨道。

Despite the challenge,

尽管困难重重，

the scientists managed to lock on to the 49-year-old rocket

科学家们还是成功锁定了这枚拥有49年历史的火箭，

and gather all the data they needed.

并收集了所有需要的数据。

This happened on the same day that object 2020 made its closest approach to Earth.

这碰巧发生在2020号物体最接近地球的同一天。

The data came back

数据传回后，

and the spectrum graph of this old rocket stage perfectly matched that of object 2020. 語法

这个旧火箭级的光谱图与2020号物体的光谱图完美匹配。

This proved that object 2020 was made of 301 stainless steel

这证明2020号物体是由301不锈钢制成的，

and was undoubtedly the lost Centaur booster from 1966.

并且毫无疑问就是1966年丢失的半人马助推器。

So as we continue to launch more and more objects into space,

因此，随着我们向太空发射越来越多的物体，

our ability to detect which objects are heading toward Earth will become increasingly important.

我们探测哪些物体正朝地球飞来的能力将变得越来越重要。

As our presence in space increases and our technology becomes more advanced,

随着我们在太空中的活动不断增加，以及我们的技术变得更加先进，

observing objects like this will become much more routine.

像这样观察物体将成为更寻常的事。

For object 2020,

对于2020号物体来说，

it will leave Earth's orbit in March and continue orbiting the Sun

它将在3月份离开地球轨道，继续绕太阳运行，

until it eventually returns to Earth again in the distant future.

直到在遥远的未来再次返回地球。

Like Starman,

就像星侠一样，

these objects are on a journey that us humans could never imagine. 語法

这些物体正在进行一场我们人类无法想象的旅程。

But due to the laws of physics,

但受物理定律的影响，

they always end up coming home at some point. 習語

它们总会在某个时刻回到原点。

When 2020 eventually returns to Earth again,

当2020号物体最终再次回到地球时，

who knows how far our technology will have advanced and what kind of things we will be doing in space? 語法

谁知道我们的技术会进步到什么程度，又会在太空中做些什么呢？