旅行者1号在失联前能飞多远？：英语精读讲义

In 1977, the Voyager 1 space probe was launched to study the outer solar system. 語法

1977年，旅行者1号太空探测器发射升空，以研究外太阳系。

The two Voyager space probes have become the longest operating spacecraft in space flight history. 語法

两艘旅行者号太空探测器成为了航天史上运行时间最长的航天器。

41 years later,

41年后的今天，

Voyager 1 is now 21 billion kilometres from Earth

旅行者1号距离地球已有210亿公里，

and traveling at 61,000 km per hour.

并以每小时6.1万公里的速度飞行。

Despite Voyager 1 being the farthest man-made object from Earth, 語法

尽管旅行者1号是距离地球最远的人造物体，

we are still able to communicate with the space probe on a regular basis. 短語搭配

我们仍能定期与该太空探测器进行通信。

But how far can it go 語法

但它到底能飞多远，

before we can no longer communicate with it?

直到我们再也无法与它通信呢？

To answer this, 表達脈絡

为了回答这个问题，

we need to know how Voyager 1 receives and transmits data from 21 billion km away.

我们需要了解旅行者1号如何在210亿公里外接收和发送数据。

A 20 kW signal is transmitted from Earth to Voyager 1 using radio waves.

地球使用无线电波向旅行者1号发送20千瓦的信号。

It takes almost 20 hours for the signal to reach the space probe, 語法

信号需要将近20小时才能到达太空探测器，

where its sensitive antenna picks up the signal. 短語動詞

然后其灵敏的天线会接收到该信号。

For comparison, 表達脈絡

相比之下，

it takes the rovers on Mars an average of just 15 minutes to send messages back to Earth.

火星车将信息传回地球平均只需15分钟。

Voyager starts sending data back to Earth using a 20 W signal.

旅行者号开始使用20瓦的信号将数据传回地球。

As it travels through space,

随着它在太空中穿行，

the signal strength weakens,

信号强度逐渐减弱，

and by the time it reaches Earth, 語法

等到信号到达地球时，

the signal is barely detectable.

已经微弱得几乎无法探测到了。

In order to communicate with objects that are this far away,

为了与这么远的物体通信，

it doesn't really matter how strong the signal is, 語法

信号的强度其实并不重要，

as long as you have a receiver that is sensitive enough to pick it up. 語法

只要接收器足够灵敏能接收到它就行。

NASA uses the Deep Space Network, 文化背景

NASA使用的是深空网络（Deep Space Network），

which consists of three antenna complexes equally spaced around the Earth. 短語搭配

该网络由三个均匀分布在地球周围的天线阵列组成。

Each complex has a huge 70 m antenna,

每个阵列都有一个巨大的70米天线，

along with multiple 34 m antennae,

以及多个34米的天线，

which can be combined to pick up signals that are thousands of times weaker than your standard FM radio signal. 語法

这些天线可以组合起来，接收比标准调频广播信号弱数千倍的信号。

The Deep Space Network spends several hours each day 語法

深空网络每天都要花费数小时

listening to faint signals from Voyager 1.

聆听来自旅行者1号的微弱信号。

And so far, 表達脈絡

到目前为止，

it continues to talk back to us. 習語

它仍在继续回复我们。

Since our methods of detecting signals has improved drastically over the past 50 years, 語法

由于过去50年来我们探测信号的方法有了极大的改进，

there isn't really a limit on how far we can communicate with objects in space.

我们能与太空中的物体通信多远，实际上并没有极限。

With our current technology,

凭借目前的技术，

we could reliably communicate with objects that are many light-years away from us, 文化背景

我们能够可靠地与远在许多光年之外的物体进行通信，

as long as our receivers are sensitive and accurate enough to pick up the extremely weak signals.

只要我们的接收器足够灵敏和精确，能够接收到极其微弱的信号。

As Voyager travels farther and farther away from Earth, 語法

随着旅行者号离地球越来越远，

it takes longer to send and receive signals.

发送和接收信号所需的时间也越来越长。

The signal strength also gets weaker,

信号强度也会减弱，

and data rates become slower,

数据传输速率变得更慢，

making it harder and harder to communicate with the spacecraft. 語法

使得与该航天器通信变得越来越困难。

Voyager 1 will continue on its journey indefinitely,

旅行者1号的旅程将无限期地继续下去，

and although there is technically no limit to how far we can communicate, 表達脈絡

虽然从技术上讲，我们的通信距离没有限制，

our communication with Voyager 1 only has a few years left.

但我们与旅行者1号的通信只剩下几年时间了。

Since Voyager 1 is nuclear powered,

因为旅行者1号是由核能供电的，

the electrical power weakens each day.

电力每天都在减弱。

In 1990,

1990年，

in order to save power,

为了节省电力，

engineers turned off the spacecraft's camera

工程师们关闭了该航天器的相机，

after Voyager 1 took the famous Pale Blue Dot image, 文化背景

当时旅行者1号刚刚拍下了著名的“暗淡蓝点”（Pale Blue Dot）照片，

which showed Earth as a tiny blue pixel against the darkness of space.

这张照片显示地球是黑暗太空中的一个蓝色小像素。

Today,

如今，

only four out of the 11 scientific instruments on Voyager 1 are still active.

旅行者1号上11台科学仪器中只有4台还在运行。

These instruments are being used to collect data on magnetic fields, 短語搭配

这些仪器正被用来收集磁场、

solar winds,

太阳风、

and cosmic rays outside our solar system.

以及太阳系外宇宙射线的数据。

In around 8 years,

大约8年后，

Voyager 1 will completely run out of power 短語動詞

旅行者1号将彻底耗尽电量，

and will no longer be able to keep its instruments going. 短語搭配

再也无法维持其仪器的运转。

Scientists will continue to communicate with the space probe

科学家们将继续与这艘太空探测器通信，

and receive the important information it gathers

并接收它收集的重要信息，

until it eventually sends its last bit of data

直到它最终传回最后一丝数据，

and disappears silently into space,

然后默默地消失在太空中，

never to be heard from ever again. 短語搭配

杳无音信。

So,

所以，

although the end is near for the Voyager space probes, 習語

尽管旅行者号太空探测器的终点已经临近，

we can appreciate the incredible journey they have been on

我们依然能够感叹它们所经历的不可思议的旅程，

and the valuable science they have taught us.

赞赏它们教给我们的宝贵科学知识。

Thank you to the Primal Space Patrons

感谢Primal Space的Patreon赞助者们，

who help to write and research each video.

感谢你们帮助编写和研究每一期视频。

If you would like to contribute to Primal Space,

如果你想为Primal Space做出贡献，

please visit patreon.com/primalspace,

请访问patreon.com/primalspace，

where we will be doing a giveaway of a Saturn V LEGO set

在那里我们将赠送一套土星5号乐高积木，

once we reach 50 Patrons.

一旦我们的赞助者达到50人。

So,

那么，

make sure you're subscribed,

请务必订阅我们的频道，

so you can join in the discussion

这样你就可以加入讨论，

as we continue to learn more about all things space.

跟随我们继续了解有关太空的一切。

Thank you very much for watching,

非常感谢你们的观看，

and I'll see you in the next video.

我们下期视频再见。