太空梭最幸運的逃生：英語精讀講義

This is the space shuttle lifting off on what was about to become one of its most dangerous journeys into space. 文法

這是太空梭正發射升空，它即將展開其最危險的太空之旅之一。

Almost immediately, fuel started leaking out of its right engine.

幾乎就在同時，右側引擎開始洩漏燃料。

And just 5 seconds later,

僅僅5秒鐘後，

an electrical supply failed,

供電系統發生故障，

knocking its engine control computers offline. 片語搭配

導致引擎控制電腦斷線。

Unaware of what was really going on beneath them, 片語動詞

對於腳下真實發生的情況一無所知，

the space shuttle crew spent the next 8 minutes just moments away from a catastrophic failure, 片語搭配

太空梭的機組人員在接下來的8分鐘裡，距離災難性的故障只有一步之遙，

when suddenly

突然間，

they ran out of liquid oxygen.

他們的液氧耗盡了。

The shuttle had experienced two major problems that should have ended the mission, 文法

這架太空梭經歷了兩個本該導致任務失敗的重大問題，

but miraculously,

但奇蹟般的是，

they happened in such a way that actually ended up saving the crew from complete disaster. 片語動詞

它們的發生方式實際上最終拯救了機組人員，避免了徹底的災難。

We modeled the entire thing to show you the tiny objects that led to these huge problems

我們對整個事件進行了建模，向你展示導致這些巨大問題的微小物體，

and how sheer luck and miraculous circumstances ended up saving the space shuttle.

以及純粹的好運和奇蹟般的環境最終是如何拯救這架太空梭的。

In order to understand why this flight was so dangerous in the first place, 片語搭配

為了理解這次飛行究竟為何如此危險，

we need to look inside the shuttle's payload bay. 文化背景

我們需要看看太空梭的酬載艙內部。

It was carrying the Chandra Observatory telescope,

它搭載了錢卓X射線天文台望遠鏡，

which was the largest and heaviest thing shuttle ever launched.

這是太空梭發射過的最大、最重的物體。

This combination put the mission over the shuttle's weight limit.

這種組合使任務超出了太空梭的重量限制。

It had to shave off several tons before the flight, 片語動詞

它必須在飛行前減掉幾噸的重量，

and so the crew was limited to five people.

因此機組人員被限制為5人。

A lighter external tank was used and all three main engines were swapped out for lighter ones. 片語動詞

使用了更輕的外部燃料槽，並且三台主引擎也都換成了更輕的。

One of these was engine 2019,

其中之一是2019號引擎，

which had already flown on 18 missions,

它已經執行過18次任務，

making it one of the most used space shuttle engines.

是使用最頻繁的太空梭引擎之一。

Over time,

隨著時間的推移，

cracks had started to show in a couple of its liquid oxygen posts.

它的幾個液氧注入管開始出現裂紋。

These are the thin pipes that carry liquid oxygen into the combustion chamber.

這些是將液氧輸送到燃燒室的細管。

If one of these failed mid-flight,

如果其中一根在飛行途中發生故障，

it would rip the engine apart and destroy the entire vehicle.

就會撕裂引擎並摧毀整個飛行器。

Instead of replacing these,

相比於更換這些管子，

NASA simply deactivated them by placing a small metal pin at the top,

NASA只是在頂部放置了一個小金屬銷來停用它們，

which stopped the liquid oxygen from flowing through.

阻止了液氧流過。

This was common practice for NASA,

這對NASA來說是常規操作，

and it saved the engine from going through a lengthy refurbishment. 文法

它免去了引擎進行漫長翻修的麻煩。

But as space shuttle Columbia ignited its engines,

但是當哥倫比亞號太空梭點燃其引擎時，

one of these metal pins worked its way loose and shot itself into the combustion chamber at over 30 m/s. 慣用語

其中一個金屬銷鬆動了，並以超過30公尺/秒的速度射入燃燒室。

In the blink of an eye, 慣用語

眨眼之間，

it bounced off the chamber walls and punctured a hole in the delicate engine nozzle.

它從燃燒室壁上反彈，在脆弱的引擎噴嘴上刺出了一個洞。

This part of the engine is made up of over 1,000 thin tubes,

引擎的這個部分由1000多根細管組成，

which circulate the ultra-cold liquid hydrogen to stop the nozzle from melting.

這些細管中循環著超冷的液氫，以防止噴嘴熔化。

From here,

氫氣從這裡

the hydrogen makes its way into the combustion chamber, 慣用語

進入燃燒室，

where it ignites and produces thrust.

在那裡點燃並產生推力。

When the pin collided with the nozzle,

當金屬銷撞擊噴嘴時，

it ripped a hole in three of the pipes,

它在其中三根管子上撕開了一個洞，

and liquid hydrogen began pouring out of the engine.

液氫開始從引擎中湧出。

If just two more of these pipes had been damaged, 文法

如果再多兩根管子受損，

the nozzle would have melted,

噴嘴就會熔化，

causing a chain reaction that would have completely destroyed the vehicle.

引發連鎖反應，徹底摧毀這架飛行器。

The space shuttle was just barely hanging on, 慣用語

太空梭在勉強支撐著，

but all of this went completely unnoticed, 片語搭配

但所有這一切都完全沒有被注意到，

since none of the sensors could detect the leak.

因為所有的感測器都無法偵測到洩漏。

What the sensors did detect was a lower chamber pressure, 文法

感測器偵測到的是燃燒室壓力降低，

since less hydrogen was making its way into the combustion chamber.

因為進入燃燒室的氫氣變少了。

In order to fix this,

為了修復這個問題，

the on-board computers automatically started pumping more liquid oxygen into the engine,

機載電腦自動開始向引擎泵入更多液氧，

which brought the pressure back up to the correct amount.

使壓力恢復到了正確的水準。

This meant that the shuttle was now burning through its liquid oxygen too quickly, 片語動詞

這意味著太空梭現在消耗液氧的速度太快，

and if it continued like this,

如果繼續這樣下去，

it would run out way before reaching orbit. 文法

它會在到達軌道之前很久就耗盡燃料。

But while all this was going on,

但就在這一切發生的同時，

a completely unrelated electrical problem had occurred in the vehicle,

飛行器內發生了一個完全無關的電力問題，

which put the shuttle offline,

使太空梭斷網了，

and it was no longer vulnerable to hackers.

它不再容易受到駭客攻擊。

Just kidding,

開玩笑的，

that isn't what happened.

並不是這樣的。

But did you know that Incogni,

但你知道嗎，Incogni，

today's sponsor,

本期節目的贊助商，

can protect you from hackers and spam emails?

可以保護你免受駭客和垃圾郵件的侵害？

We all get pointless spam emails and phone calls from things we never signed up for.

我們都會收到毫無意義的垃圾郵件和根本沒註冊過的推銷電話。

This is because data brokers sell our personal information to marketing agencies,

這是因為數據經紀人將我們的個人資訊賣給了行銷機構，

who then make it their life goal to fill our inboxes with spam.

然後這些機構將塞滿我們的收件匣作為他們的人生目標。

The problem is even worse,

問題甚至更糟，

since the databases that your info is stored on can easily be leaked or stolen by criminals.

因為儲存你資訊的資料庫很容易被犯罪分子洩露或竊取。

Incogni reaches out to these marketing agencies on your behalf and gets them to delete any data they have about you. 講解

Incogni代表你聯繫這些行銷機構，讓他們刪除關於你的任何資料。

All you need to do is sign up,

你只需註冊，

sit back,

坐下來，

and watch Incogni do their work.

看著Incogni為你工作。

Since signing up with Incogni,

自從註冊Incogni以來，

my info is no longer in the hands of any of these companies, 慣用語

我的資訊不再掌握在任何這些公司手中，

and my inbox is much cleaner.

我的收件匣也乾淨多了。

To protect your personal information and get rid of spam in your life, 片語動詞

為了保護你的個人資訊並擺脫生活中的垃圾訊息，

visit incogni.com/primalspace

請造訪incogni.com/primalspace

and use the code PRIMALSPACE to get 60% off.

並使用代碼PRIMALSPACE享受4折優惠。

Space shuttle Columbia had just left the launch pad and was already on the verge of a complete disaster. 片語搭配

哥倫比亞號太空梭剛剛離開發射台，就已經瀕臨一場徹底的災難。

Its right engine was burning through too much liquid oxygen,

其右側引擎消耗了過多的液氧，

and if it ran out,

如果耗盡，

the shuttle might not have made it into orbit, 文法

太空梭可能無法進入軌道，

or even worse,

甚至更糟，

the engines could have ripped themselves apart.

引擎可能會四分五裂。

Amazingly,

令人驚訝的是，

a completely separate problem was about to save the day. 慣用語

一個完全不相干的問題即將拯救局面。

Inside the payload bay were a series of electrical wires that carried power to instruments all over the vehicle. 文法

酬載艙內有一系列將電力輸送到飛行器各處儀器的電線。

One of these wires ran alongside a small screw that had been overtightened and had a very sharp edge.

其中一根電線緊挨著一顆被擰得過緊且邊緣非常鋒利的螺絲。

Over the course of many flights, 片語搭配

在多次飛行中，

this wire had rubbed against the screw,

這根電線與螺絲摩擦，

and its insulation had been slowly worn away. 片語動詞

其絕緣層被慢慢磨損。

5 seconds into the flight,

飛行進行到5秒時，

the exposed wire arced onto the screw, 用詞

裸露的電線與螺絲產生電弧，

causing a short circuit and setting a number of instruments offline.

導致短路並使一些儀器離線。

This immediately set off all kinds of warnings inside the cockpit, 片語動詞

這立即引發了駕駛艙內的各種警告，

one of which was a fuel cell warning.

其中之一是燃料電池警告。

The fuel cells aboard shuttle used hydrogen and oxygen to produce all of the electricity for the vehicle.

太空梭上的燃料電池使用氫氣和氧氣為飛行器產生所有電力。

If one of these went wrong,

如果其中一個出了問題，

the results would be catastrophic.

後果將是災難性的。

Luckily,

幸運的是，

this was just a faulty reading,

這只是一個錯誤讀數，

and there was nothing wrong with the fuel cells.

燃料電池沒有任何問題。

The real problem was lurking down below. 慣用語

真正的問題潛伏在下方。

Two computers in charge of controlling the shuttle's engines had been knocked offline thanks to the electricity shortage.

負責控制太空梭引擎的兩台電腦因電力短缺而離線。

Each engine had a main computer and a backup computer,

每台引擎都有一台主電腦和一台備用電腦，

which would take over if something went wrong. 片語動詞

備用電腦在出問題時接管。

The right engine,

右側引擎，

which was leaking fuel,

也就是正在洩漏燃料的那台，

had just lost its backup computer,

剛剛失去了備用電腦，

and the center engine lost its main computer.

而中央引擎失去了主電腦。

This caused a unique problem that actually turned into a solution.

這導致了一個獨特的問題，實際上變成了一個解決方案。

You see, 表達脈絡

你看，

under normal circumstances,

在正常情況下，

both computers run simultaneously.

兩台電腦同時運行。

The data from both computers is compared and averaged out, 片語動詞

比較兩台電腦的數據並取平均值，

and this is what is used to control the engines.

這被用來控制引擎。

This means that if a sensor on one of the computers is reading abnormally high or low,

這意味著如果其中一台電腦上的感測器讀數異常高或低，

it won't have such a big effect on the engine.

它對引擎的影響不會那麼大。

As it turned out, 表達脈絡

事實證明，

the pressure sensor on the backup computer was reading incorrectly

備用電腦上的壓力感測器讀數不正確

and it was sending back an abnormally high pressure reading.

它傳回了異常高的壓力讀數。

Since the main computer wasn't there to cancel this out,

因為沒有主電腦來抵消這個數值，

it tricked the engine into thinking the pressure was too high. 文法

它欺騙了引擎，讓它以為壓力太高了。

Because of this,

因為這樣，

the engine started pumping less liquid oxygen into the engine to reduce the pressure.

引擎開始泵入較少的液氧以降低壓力。

This now meant that although the right engine was guzzling through too much oxygen,

這現在意味著儘管右側引擎消耗了過多的氧氣，

the center engine was using less than normal,

但中央引擎的用量比正常情況少，

and so the problems canceled each other out.

因此問題相互抵消了。

If the center engine didn't have a faulty sensor,

如果中央引擎沒有感測器故障，

or if the electrical supply hadn't failed,

或者如果供電沒有中斷，

the whole shuttle would have run out of liquid oxygen much sooner. 片語動詞

整個太空梭的液氧就會更早耗盡。

And it wouldn't have reached orbit.

它也就無法到達軌道了。

Had this actually happened, 文法

如果真的發生這種情況，

the crew would have had to make an aborted landing back on Earth, 文法

機組人員就不得不中止任務並降落返回地球，

still carrying the enormous telescope on their backs.

此時他們身上仍然背負著那個巨大的望遠鏡。

By sheer coincidence, 片語搭配

出於純粹的巧合，

two completely separate problems occurred that perfectly canceled each other out, 片語動詞

兩個完全不相干的問題發生並完美地相互抵消了，

allowing shuttle to reach orbit just 5 m/s off its desired speed.

使太空梭在僅僅偏離目標速度5公尺/秒的情況下到達了軌道。

In the end,

最終，

the shuttle was able to make up for this by using its OMS engines, 講解

太空梭能夠透過使用其OMS引擎來彌補這一偏差，

and the Chandra telescope was successfully deployed.

錢卓望遠鏡被成功部署。

Since its main engines weren't needed for the rest of the mission,

由於任務的剩餘部分不再需要主引擎，

the shuttle and its crew safely made it back to Earth without any issues.

太空梭及其機組人員安全地返回了地球，沒有發生任何意外。

Now,

現在，

time for the Primal Space giveaway.

是Primal Space抽獎時間。

The winner of the previous giveaway is Eric.

上次抽獎的獲勝者是Eric。

Congrats.

恭喜。

In the next video,

在下一個影片中，

we'll be giving away this custom Primal Space design shuttle poster,

我們將贈送這張由Primal Space客製設計的太空梭海報，

available in our store.

在我們的商店有售。

All you need to do is sign up at the link below,

你只需在下方連結註冊，

like the video,

點讚影片，

and leave a comment saying what you think about the space shuttle.

並留言說說你對太空梭的看法。

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。