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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
Every year satellites are damaged or destroyed by objects orbiting the Earth's atmosphere. An Australian company is now using the latest laser technology to track these objects in order to reduce cosmic damage.
Li Dong has the details.
Even in space, collisions can't be avoided.
An increasing amount of floating debris1, known as space junk, poses a real threat to fragile satellites and equipment orbiting the earth.
Space junk can range from a fleck2 of paint to a full-size rocket booster, both of which can cause serious impact damage or even punctures3.
An Australian company, Electro Optic Systems or EOS, recently secured a 3 million US dollar contract to track these rogue4 objects and save the country's valuable space assets using state of the art laser technology.
This laser technology can track an object as small as a fingernail.
The debris can be pinpointed5 and monitored, allowing space shuttles and satellites to be maneuvered6 out of harm's way.
Ben Greene is the CEO of Electro Optic Systems. Greene says that winning the contract is a big achievement for the Stromlo Observatory7:
"This contract is actually the last step in transitioning the technology to a full operational capability8."
Greene says the technology will also ensure satellites waste less fuel when there's a false alarm.
"If we can reduce the number of maneuvers9 that a satellite is making by 70 percent, by giving much more accurate debris tracking, then we have a 70 percent improvement in terms of the lifetime of the satellite."
Objects in space are currently tracked using radar10 technology.
Positional readings can be between 20 meters and two kilometers, unlike the laser surveillance system, which is said to be able to track debris within one point five meters of its actual position.
Such accuracy is vital. Two years ago, incorrect data led to a collision between a US communications satellite and Russian space junk.
With calls for a space clean-up mounting on the international scene, EOS hopes its laser-tracking project will attract worldwide attention.
For CRI, I am Li Dong.
1 debris | |
n.瓦砾堆,废墟,碎片 | |
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2 fleck | |
n.斑点,微粒 vt.使有斑点,使成斑驳 | |
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3 punctures | |
n.(尖物刺成的)小孔( puncture的名词复数 );(尤指)轮胎穿孔;(尤指皮肤上被刺破的)扎孔;刺伤v.在(某物)上穿孔( puncture的第三人称单数 );刺穿(某物);削弱(某人的傲气、信心等);泄某人的气 | |
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4 rogue | |
n.流氓;v.游手好闲 | |
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5 pinpointed | |
准确地找出或描述( pinpoint的过去式和过去分词 ); 为…准确定位 | |
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6 maneuvered | |
v.移动,用策略( maneuver的过去式和过去分词 );操纵 | |
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7 observatory | |
n.天文台,气象台,瞭望台,观测台 | |
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8 capability | |
n.能力;才能;(pl)可发展的能力或特性等 | |
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9 maneuvers | |
n.策略,谋略,花招( maneuver的名词复数 ) | |
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10 radar | |
n.雷达,无线电探测器 | |
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