史上最大卻從未發射的火箭：英語精讀講義

In November, 1967,

1967年11月，

NASA launched the iconic Saturn V rocket 文化背景

NASA發射了標誌性的土星5號火箭，

for the first time.

這也是它的首次發射。

Standing 110 m tall

它高達110公尺，

and producing 7.6 million pounds of thrust, 用詞

推力達760萬磅，

the Saturn V still holds the record 片語搭配

至今土星5號依然保持著

for the largest and most powerful rocket ever launched.

史上已發射的最大、最強火箭的紀錄。

But a rocket designed years before the Saturn V

但是，在土星5號之前幾年設計的一款火箭，

would have shattered the scale of rocket design 文法

本可以打破火箭設計的規模限制，

and altered the course of rocket technology. 慣用語

並改變火箭技術的發展軌跡。

The rocket was known as the Sea Dragon.

這款火箭被稱為「海龍」（Sea Dragon）。

This was an enormous two-stage rocket

這是一種巨大的兩節火箭，

aiming to cut costs 片語搭配

旨在降低成本，

and launch extremely heavy payloads into space.

並將極重的酬載送入太空。

The idea for the Sea Dragon came from engineer Robert Truax

「海龍」的構想出自工程師羅伯特·特魯克斯之手，

in the early '60s.

時間是20世紀60年代初。

Truax envisioned a semi-reusable two-stage launch vehicle

特魯克斯設想了一種半可重複使用的兩節運載火箭，

capable of delivering extreme payloads to the Moon and Mars. 文法

它能夠將超大酬載送往月球和火星。

Simplicity, reusability,

簡單、可重複使用，

and cost savings were the guiding principles

以及節約成本，是其設計的

behind the rocket's design.

指導原則。

Sea Dragon's first stage consisted of a single engine 文法

「海龍」的第一節由單台發動機構成，

rather than multiple smaller engines like the Saturn V.

而不是像土星5號那樣使用多台較小的發動機。

Instead of using complex fuel pumps, 文法

它沒有使用複雜的燃料泵，

it had liquid nitrogen tanks,

而是配備了液氮罐，

which would pressurize the fuel tanks

用於給燃料箱加壓，

and push the propellants into the engine.

將推進劑推入發動機。

Taking away the complex and unreliable fuel pumps

去除複雜且不可靠的燃料泵，

would make the engine cheaper to build 文法

會使發動機的製造成本更低，

and easier to refurbish.

也更容易翻新。

Since both stages of the rocket were designed to be refurbished and reused,

既然火箭的兩節都被設計為可翻新和再利用，

they had to be recovered carefully after each launch.

它們就必須在每次發射後被小心回收。

Once the rocket launched and reached an altitude of about 38 km,

一旦火箭發射並達到約38公里的高度，

the first stage engine would cut 片語動詞

第一節發動機就會熄火

out and separate from the second stage.

並與第二節分離。

It would continue to fall back to Earth using an inflatable flare.

它會展開一個充氣式錐裙，繼續落回地球。

This would help to slow the stage down 片語動詞

這有助於減緩該節的下落速度，

and orient it in a way that wouldn't damage the engine once it hit the ocean.

並調整其姿態，使其在墜入海洋時不會損壞發動機。

The second stage would follow a similar path back to Earth

第二節也會沿著類似的軌跡返回地球，

after delivering the payload into orbit.

此時它已經將酬載送入了軌道。

Given the sheer size of the Sea Dragon, 片語搭配

鑑於「海龍」極為龐大的體積，

it would have been far too big to build and transport on land. 文法

在陸地上製造和運輸它實在太大了。

The incredible amount of sound generated during liftoff

升空時產生的驚人噪音

would have created shock waves strong enough to damage the launch pad and the rocket itself. 文法

會產生足以損壞發射台和火箭本身的強力衝擊波。

In order to overcome these issues, 文法

為了克服這些問題，

the rocket would need to be built and launched at sea.

火箭需要在海上建造並在此發射。

The rocket would be built in a shipyard

火箭將在造船廠進行建造，

and towed out to the launch site.

然後被拖曳到發射地點。

In order to orient the rocket vertically,

為了讓火箭垂直豎立，

six tanks near the base of the rocket would fill with water

火箭底部附近的六個罐子會注滿水，

and sink the engine into the sea.

讓發動機沉入海中。

Although sea-launched rockets had already been used during the Second World War, 文法

儘管在二戰期間已經有海基發射的火箭，

the technology had never been tested on such an enormous scale. 片語搭配

但這項技術還從未在如此龐大的規模上進行過測試。

In order to begin testing the Sea Dragon,

為了開始測試「海龍」，

engineers modified a rocket from the US Navy nicknamed Seahorse.

工程師們改裝了一枚美國海軍的綽號為「海馬」的火箭。

Testing began in San Francisco Bay,

測試在舊金山灣開始，

where engineers fired the rocket's engine 用詞

在那裡，工程師們點燃了火箭的發動機，

on a barge above the water

（當時它還在水面上的駁船上），

and slowly lowered it into the water.

然後將其緩慢下放至水中。

The engineers found that once submerged, 文法

工程師們發現，一旦浸入水中，

the engine continued to fire perfectly

發動機依然完美運作，

and the sea dampened the shock waves substantially.

而且海水大幅度減弱了衝擊波。

The success of this test opened the door 慣用語

這次測試的成功，為「海龍」成為現實

for the Sea Dragon to become a reality.

敞開了大門。

However,

然而，

like many other rocket designs,

就像許多其他火箭設計一樣，

Sea Dragon failed to leave the drawing boards. 慣用語

「海龍」最終沒能走出圖紙階段。

As the 1960s came to a close, 慣用語

隨著20世紀60年代接近尾聲，

NASA's budget was slashed 用詞

NASA的預算被大幅削減，

as the United States went to war with Vietnam.

因為當時美國捲入了越南戰爭。

At the height of the decade, 慣用語

在60年代最鼎盛時期，

NASA's annual budget peaked at $5.9 billion. 片語搭配

NASA的年度預算達到了59億美元的峰值。

Over the next few years,

在接下來的幾年裡，

their budget was reduced by 37%. 文法

他們的預算減少了37%。

These cuts ended many of NASA's experimental research programs

這些削減終止了NASA許多的實驗性研究項目，

along with the construction of the Sea Dragon.

同時也終止了「海龍」的建造。

In many ways,

在很多方面，

the sheer size of the rocket's design contributed 片語搭配

這款火箭純粹因為體型過於巨大，

to the downfall of Sea Dragon.

導致了「海龍」的落馬。

As the Saturn V rocket continued to develop,

隨著土星5號火箭的不斷發展，

NASA were reaping the benefits of having a rocket 慣用語

NASA正在享受擁有一款

much larger and more powerful than anything else that had come before.

比以往任何火箭都要大得多、強得多的火箭所帶來的好處。

Although Sea Dragon would have opened the door for even larger payloads,

儘管「海龍」本可以為更大的酬載開啟大門，

NASA couldn't justify the cost 片語搭配

但NASA找不到理由來承擔

of developing the unproven technology

開發使「海龍」投入運行所需的

required to make Sea Dragon operational.

未經驗證的技術的巨大成本。

From a technical standpoint, 表達脈絡

從技術層面來看，

there were also concerns with combustion instability

也存在對燃燒不穩定性的擔憂，

for a rocket this large.

尤其是對於如此巨大的火箭。

Sea Dragon would have generated more than 79 million pounds of thrust at liftoff,

「海龍」在升空時本將產生超過7900萬磅的推力，

10 times the amount of the Saturn V, 文法

這是土星5號推力的10倍，

which had its own combustion instability problems.

而土星5號本身就已經存在燃燒不穩定的問題。

Either way, 表達脈絡

不管怎樣，

the Sea Dragon will go down in history 慣用語

「海龍」都會被載入史冊，

as one of the craziest rocket concepts

成為最瘋狂的火箭概念之一，

that almost happened.

而且它差一點就成為現實。

Since the retirement of the Saturn V in 1973,

自1973年土星5號退役以來，

SpaceX's Starship rocket is the closest thing we have 片語搭配

SpaceX的星艦火箭是我們目前擁有的最接近

to the Sea Dragon concept.

「海龍」概念的產物。

Starship is designed to be 118 m tall

星艦設計高達118公尺，

and produce 16 million pounds of thrust.

並能產生1600萬磅的推力。

So, although we never got to see

所以，儘管我們無緣看到

what became of the incredibly ambitious Sea Dragon, 慣用語

極其雄心勃勃的「海龍」最終的模樣，

we can look forward to the exciting future 片語動詞

我們依然可以期待航太界

that lies ahead in the world of spaceflight.

即將到來的激動人心的未來。

Thank you very much for watching

非常感謝您的觀看，

and I'll see you in the next video.

我們下期影片再見。