“星光侠”（Starman）何时重返地球？：英语精读讲义

On the 6th of February 2018, the Falcon Heavy launched Starman 文化背景

2018年2月6日，猎鹰重型运载火箭发射了星侠（Starman）

in a Tesla Roadster into space.

他坐在一辆特斯拉Roadster里进入太空。

During this spectacular event,

在这场壮观的事件中，

Starman orbited the Earth for 6 hours,

星侠绕地球飞行了6个小时，

capturing beautiful images

拍下了美丽的图像

before the Falcon Heavy upper stage

在猎鹰重型火箭的上面级

sent the car into an orbit around the Sun. 短語搭配

将这辆车送入绕日轨道之前。

But where is Starman now? 表達脈絡

但星侠现在在哪里？

And will we ever see him again?

我们还能再见到他吗？

In this video,

在今天的视频中，

we're going to look at the long journey 語法

我们将回顾星侠自离开地球以来

Starman has been on since leaving Earth.

所经历的漫长旅程。

We're also going to look at when he might return to Earth

我们还将看看他什么时候可能回到地球

and the possible solutions we have for retrieving him.

以及我们回收他的可能方案。

After Starman left Earth's orbit,

在星侠离开地球轨道后，

scientists and amateur astronomers around the world

世界各地的科学家和业余天文学家

pointed their telescopes toward the night sky

将望远镜对准夜空，

in order to track the Roadster 語法

为了追踪这辆Roadster

and predict its future orbit.

并预测它未来的轨道。

A team at JPL

喷气推进实验室（JPL）的一个团队

used data provided by SpaceX

利用SpaceX提供的数据，

and predicted that Starman would pass by Earth 短語動詞

预测星侠将在地球附近掠过

in the year 2091,

于2091年，

getting within a few thousand kilometers. 短語搭配

距离只有几千公里。

This model proved to be accurate for the first few months, 語法

这个模型在头几个月被证明是准确的，

but since it was made from a limited amount of data,

但由于它是基于有限的数据建立的，

anything beyond that became increasingly inaccurate.

之后的情况变得越来越不准确。

It wasn't until March of this year 語法

直到今年3月

that we got a solid prediction of Starman's future.

我们才对星侠的未来有了一个可靠的预测。

Thanks to an observation of the Roadster 表達脈絡

多亏了南非的一台望远镜

seen from a telescope in South Africa,

对这辆Roadster的观测，

JPL were able to refine their measurements 短語搭配

JPL能够改进他们的测量结果

and accurately predict Starman's path

并准确地预测了星侠的路径

for the next 50 years.

在接下来的50年里。

They concluded that Starman is on a path

他们得出结论，星侠所处的轨道

that will pass by Mars

将掠过火星

in the year 2020,

在2020年，

getting within 4.5 million miles.

距离约450万英里。

At this point,

在这个时候，

the telescopes we have on Mars

我们在火星上的望远镜

won't be capable of observing an object 語法

还无法观测到一个

as dim as the Roadster. 語法

像Roadster一样暗淡的物体。

Starman will make a closer approach to Mars

星侠将更靠近火星

in the year 2035,

在2035年，

getting as close as 1.5 million miles.

距离最近可达150万英里。

By then,

到那时，

it's likely we'll have more advanced telescopes

我们很可能会有更先进的望远镜

on and around Mars

在火星上及其周围，

to capture an image of the Roadster,

来捕捉Roadster的图像，

even if it's just a tiny dot in the sky. 語法

哪怕它只是天空中的一个小点。

Starman will make its closest approach to Earth

星侠将最接近地球

in the year 2047,

在2047年，

passing by at just 3 million miles.

在距离仅300万英里的地方飞过。

At this distance,

在这个距离，

telescopes on Earth

地球上的望远镜

will be able to observe the Roadster

将能够观测到Roadster

and record its position in the sky,

并记录下它在天空中的位置，

giving us a more refined prediction

为我们提供更精确的预测，

for many years to come. 短語搭配

预测未来许多年的情况。

But what if we were able to catch Starman 語法

但如果能在这次近距离接触中

during this close approach?

抓住星侠呢？

The idea of retrieving satellites

从太空中回收卫星的想法

from space isn't unheard of. 習語

并不是前所未闻的。

Due to the enormous payload bay 用詞

得益于航天飞机上巨大的

on the space shuttle,

有效载荷舱，

it was capable of retrieving faulty satellites

它能够回收故障卫星

and returning them back to Earth.

并将它们带回地球。

During STS-51,

在STS-51任务期间，

astronauts managed to grapple two communication satellites 用詞

宇航员成功捕获了两颗通信卫星

into the payload bay

放入有效载荷舱内，

using EVA jet packs

利用EVA喷气背包

and the shuttle's robotic arm.

和航天飞机的机械臂。

Those satellites were returned to Earth

这些卫星被带回地球

and sold to new customers,

卖给了新客户，

who relaunched them into the correct orbits.

他们重新将其发射到正确的轨道。

However,

然而，

retrieving satellites outside Earth's orbit

在地球轨道之外回收卫星

is much more challenging

挑战性要大得多，

and requires a lot more energy.

需要更多的能量。

A Japanese spacecraft,

一艘日本航天器，

which launched in 2014,

在2014年发射，

has slowly made its way out to an asteroid 短語搭配

已慢慢飞往一颗小行星

180 million miles from Earth.

距离地球1.8亿英里。

It has already managed to retrieve samples from the surface,

它已经成功从小行星表面采集了样本，

and it will continue to survey the asteroid

它将继续对这颗小行星进行勘测

before returning those samples back to Earth

在此之后再将这些样本带回地球

in 2020.

于2020年。

Although the Roadster is a much heavier sample 語法

虽然从太空带回来的Roadster

to bring back from space,

是一个重得多的样本，

Starship could follow a similar plan

星舰（Starship）可以遵循类似计划

to retrieve the Roadster.

来回收这辆Roadster。

With the enormous capability of Starship,

凭借星舰的强大能力，

it could refuel in Earth's orbit

它可以在地球轨道上进行燃料补给

and perform a maneuver

并进行机动

to match the Roadster's orbit. 用詞

以匹配Roadster的轨道。

With a large amount of fuel remaining, 語法

在剩下大量燃料的情况下，

it could then capture the Roadster

它可以捕获Roadster

and store it in the payload bay

并将其存放在有效载荷舱中

before returning to Earth.

然后返回地球。

So,

所以，

perhaps one day,

也许有一天，

many years down the line, 習語

很多年以后，

the generation that experienced the iconic

经历过那场标志性的

Falcon Heavy launch

猎鹰重型发射的这一代人

will be reunited with Starman

将与星侠重聚，

and his Roadster.

还有他的Roadster。

Or,

或者，

perhaps it's best to let him wander 語法

也许最好让他永远在

the solar system forever,

太阳系中漫游，

like a mascot for human civilization. 習語

就像人类文明的一个吉祥物。

Thank you to the Primal Space Patrons

感谢Primal Space的Patron赞助者

who helped to write and research each video.

帮助编写和研究每一部视频。

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如果你想为Primal Space做出贡献

and join our exclusive Discord,

并加入我们专属的Discord频道，

please visit patreon.com/primalspace,

请访问patreon.com/primalspace，

where we will be giving away another

我们将在那里送出另一套

Saturn 5 LEGO set

土星5号的乐高套装，

once we reach 100 Patrons.

只要我们达到100个Patron赞助者。

So,

所以，

make sure you're subscribed

一定要订阅

so you can join in the discussion

这样你就可以加入讨论，

as we continue to learn more

因为我们将继续学习更多

about all things space.

关于太空的一切。

Thank you very much for watching,

非常感谢您的观看，

and I'll see you

我们

in the next video.

下个视频见。