「星際人」（Starman）何時重返地球？：英語精讀講義

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

2018年2月6日，獵鷹重型運載火箭發射了Starman

in a Tesla Roadster into space.

他坐在一輛特斯拉Roadster裡進入太空。

During this spectacular event,

在這場壯觀的事件中，

Starman orbited the Earth for 6 hours,

Starman繞地球飛行了6個小時，

capturing beautiful images

拍下了美麗的影像

before the Falcon Heavy upper stage

在獵鷹重型火箭的上面級

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

將這輛車送入繞日軌道之前。

But where is Starman now? 表達脈絡

但Starman現在在哪裡？

And will we ever see him again?

我們還能再見到他嗎？

In this video,

在這部影片中，

we're going to look at the long journey 文法

我們將回顧一趟漫長的旅程

Starman has been on since leaving Earth.

Starman自離開地球以來所經歷的。

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

我們還將看看他什麼時候可能回到地球

and the possible solutions we have for retrieving him.

以及我們回收他的可能方案。

After Starman left Earth's orbit,

在Starman離開地球軌道後，

scientists and amateur astronomers around the world

世界各地的科學家和業餘天文學家

pointed their telescopes toward the night sky

將望遠鏡對準夜空，

in order to track the Roadster 文法

為了追蹤這輛Roadster

and predict its future orbit.

並預測它未來的軌道。

A team at JPL

噴射推進實驗室（JPL）的一個團隊

used data provided by SpaceX

利用SpaceX提供的數據，

and predicted that Starman would pass by Earth 片語動詞

預測Starman將在地球附近掠過

in the year 2091,

於2091年，

getting within a few thousand kilometers. 片語搭配

距離只有幾千公里。

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

這個模型在頭幾個月被證明是準確的，

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

但由於它是基於有限的數據建立的，

anything beyond that became increasingly inaccurate.

之後的情況變得越來越不準確。

It wasn't until March of this year 文法

直到今年3月

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

我們才對Starman的未來有了一個可靠的預測。

Thanks to an observation of the Roadster 表達脈絡

多虧了南非的一台望遠鏡

seen from a telescope in South Africa,

對這輛Roadster的觀測，

JPL were able to refine their measurements 片語搭配

JPL能夠改進他們的測量結果

and accurately predict Starman's path

並準確地預測了Starman的路徑

for the next 50 years.

在接下來的50年裡。

They concluded that Starman is on a path

他們得出結論，Starman所處的軌道

that will pass by Mars

將掠過火星

in the year 2020,

在2020年，

getting within 4.5 million miles.

距離約450萬英里。

At this point,

在這個時候，

the telescopes we have on Mars

我們在火星上的望遠鏡

won't be capable of observing an object 文法

還無法觀測到一個

as dim as the Roadster. 文法

像Roadster一樣暗淡的物體。

Starman will make a closer approach to Mars

Starman將更靠近火星

in the year 2035,

在2035年，

getting as close as 1.5 million miles.

距離最近可達150萬英里。

By then,

到那時，

it's likely we'll have more advanced telescopes

我們很可能會有更先進的望遠鏡

on and around Mars

在火星上及其周圍，

to capture an image of the Roadster,

來捕捉Roadster的影像，

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

哪怕它只是天空中的一個小點。

Starman will make its closest approach to Earth

Starman將最接近地球

in the year 2047,

在2047年，

passing by at just 3 million miles.

在距離僅300萬英里的地方飛過。

At this distance,

在這個距離，

telescopes on Earth

地球上的望遠鏡

will be able to observe the Roadster

將能夠觀測到Roadster

and record its position in the sky,

並記錄下它在天空中的位置，

giving us a more refined prediction

為我們提供更精確的預測，

for many years to come. 片語搭配

預測未來許多年後的情況。

But what if we were able to catch Starman 文法

但如果能在這次近距離接觸中

during this close approach?

抓住Starman呢？

The idea of retrieving satellites

從太空中回收衛星的想法

from space isn't unheard of. 慣用語

並不是前所未聞的。

Due to the enormous payload bay 用詞

得益於太空梭上巨大的

on the space shuttle,

酬載艙，

it was capable of retrieving faulty satellites

它能夠回收故障衛星

and returning them back to Earth.

並將它們帶回地球。

During STS-51,

在STS-51任務期間，

astronauts managed to grapple two communication satellites 用詞

太空人成功捕獲了兩顆通訊衛星

into the payload bay

放入酬載艙內，

using EVA jet packs

利用EVA噴射背包

and the shuttle's robotic arm.

和太空梭的機械臂。

Those satellites were returned to Earth

這些衛星被帶回地球

and sold to new customers,

賣給了新客戶，

who relaunched them into the correct orbits.

他們重新將其發射到正確的軌道。

However,

然而，

retrieving satellites outside Earth's orbit

在地球軌道之外回收衛星

is much more challenging

挑戰性要大得多，

and requires a lot more energy.

需要更多的能量。

A Japanese spacecraft,

一艘日本太空船，

which launched in 2014,

在2014年發射，

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

已慢慢飛往一顆小行星

180 million miles from Earth.

距離地球1.8億英里。

It has already managed to retrieve samples from the surface,

它已經成功從小行星表面採集了樣本，

and it will continue to survey the asteroid

它將繼續對這顆小行星進行勘測

before returning those samples back to Earth

在此之後再將這些樣本帶回地球

in 2020.

於2020年。

Although the Roadster is a much heavier sample 文法

雖然從太空帶回來的Roadster

to bring back from space,

是一個重得多的樣本，

Starship could follow a similar plan

星艦（Starship）可以遵循類似計畫

to retrieve the Roadster.

來回收這輛Roadster。

With the enormous capability of Starship,

憑藉星艦的強大能力，

it could refuel in Earth's orbit

它可以在地球軌道上進行燃料補給

and perform a maneuver

並進行機動

to match the Roadster's orbit. 用詞

以匹配Roadster的軌道。

With a large amount of fuel remaining, 文法

在剩下大量燃料的情況下，

it could then capture the Roadster

它可以捕獲Roadster

and store it in the payload bay

並將其存放在酬載艙中

before returning to Earth.

然後返回地球。

So,

所以，

perhaps one day,

也許有一天，

many years down the line, 慣用語

許多年以後，

the generation that experienced the iconic

經歷過那場標誌性的

Falcon Heavy launch

獵鷹重型發射的這一代人

will be reunited with Starman

將與Starman重聚，

and his Roadster.

還有他的Roadster。

Or,

或者，

perhaps it's best to let him wander 文法

也許最好讓他永遠在

the solar system forever,

太陽系中漫遊，

like a mascot for human civilization. 慣用語

就像人類文明的一個吉祥物。

Thank you to the Primal Space Patrons

感謝Primal Space的Patron贊助者

who helped to write and research each video.

幫助編寫和研究每一部影片。

If you'd like to contribute to Primal Space

如果你想為Primal Space做出貢獻

and join our exclusive Discord,

並加入我們專屬的Discord頻道，

please visit patreon.com/primalspace,

請造訪patreon.com/primalspace，

where we will be giving away another

我們將在那裡送出另一套

Saturn 5 LEGO set

土星5號的樂高套裝，

once we reach 100 Patrons.

只要我們達到100個Patron贊助者。

So,

所以，

make sure you're subscribed

一定要訂閱

so you can join in the discussion

這樣你就可以加入討論，

as we continue to learn more

因為我們將繼續學習更多

about all things space.

關於太空的一切。

Thank you very much for watching,

非常感謝您的收看，

and I'll see you

我們

in the next video.

下部影片見。