VOA慢速英语2014 飞船历史性的在彗星上着陆

 

AS IT IS 2014-11-13 Spacecraft Makes Historic Landing on a Comet 飞船历史性的在彗星上着陆

After traveling 10 years and hundreds of millions of kilometers, a small robotic spacecraft has for the first time landed on the surface of a comet, a solar system object made of ice and rock.

The probe launched from the European Space Agency’s main Rosetta spaceship early Wednesday. The spaceship is designed to carefully study the appearance and materials that make up the Comet 67P/Churymov-Gerasimenko.

Scientists worried the probe might not land on solid ground but early reports say the Philae research probe is in good condition.

Stephan Ulamec, of the German Aerospace¹ Center, announced the news.  He said the landing equipment and a special device meant to secure the spacecraft to the comet had deployed².

“Philae is talking to us, first things he told us is that the harpoons³ have been fired, rewound and that the landing gear has been moved inside, so we are sitting on the surface, Philae is talking to us, more data to come.”

Early on Wednesday, ground controllers at the European Space Agency operations center in Germany confirmed that Philae had separated from the Rosetta ship. The probe then began a tense trip toward the comet and landed on its surface hours later. The attempt to land on the comet was considered risky⁴ not only because scientists were unsure of the surface, but because of problems with thrusters used to land the probe.  

Scientists and many officials gathered at the European Space Agency’s Operations Center in Darmstadt, Germany. After the landing was announced, there was cheering and applause.

European Space Agency Director Thomas Reiter thanked the many groups who had been involved in the mission.

Jim Green of NASA praised the landing as an important step in space exploration.  “Let’s learn about the environment we are in. It’s these steps that will lead us beyond this planet, on to Mars and out into the Solar System.”

Rosetta has been orbiting the Comet 67P/Churymov-Gerasimenko since August. However, the mission started with the spaceship’s launch in March of 2004. The spaceship circled the sun until it was in position to meet with the comet. Information from the European Space Agency shows the spacecraft’s trip has taken it far beyond the orbit Mars.

The comet currently is traveling at a distance of more than 400 million kilometers from Earth.  At such a distance, communication between the spacecraft and earth took more than half an hour. Controllers waited and worried before receiving confirmation⁵ sent from Philae that it had landed safely.

Now, the probe will begin a series of scientific experiments. Philae will examine the material that makes up the comet looking for organic, or carbon-based material, and inorganic⁶ materials. The Rosetta mission cost the European Space Agency, or ESA, $1.7 billion dollars.

The main Rosetta spacecraft will follow Comet 67P for the next year and observe it as it heads toward the sun. However, Rosetta will not approach the sun too closely. Its closest approach to our star is still outside the orbit of Earth.

The Philae probe is the result of a joint⁷ effort by scientists and space agencies in many countries from the European Union and the United States.  Three experiments on the spaceship come from the U.S. space agency NASA.   

Photos sent back to Earth from Rosetta show Comet 67P's surface as a rough world of rocky formations and ice.

Rosetta is named after the stone that helped unlock the hieroglyphic⁸ language of the ancient Egyptians. ESA Director Thomas Reiter has this to say about the mission:

“It’s aim, of course, to unlock the secrets hidden within the icy treasure chest of a 4.6 billion years (old) object, to study its make-up and its history. To search for clues as to our own origins.”

Words in this Story

Deployed-adj. to move something into a position for action

Probe-n. (science) a device used to examine or study something; a small spacecraft deployed from a larger one that is sent down to a planet, moon or comet

Origins-n. the point where things begin, a starting point

1 aerospace   

adj.航空的，宇宙航行的

参考例句：

• The world's entire aerospace industry is feeling the chill winds of recession.全世界的航空航天工业都感受到了经济衰退的寒意。
• Edward Murphy was an aerospace engineer for the US Army.爱德华·墨菲是一名美军的航宇工程师。

2 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

3 harpoons   

n.鱼镖，鱼叉( harpoon的名词复数 )v.鱼镖，鱼叉( harpoon的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Greenpeace hopes to position its boats between the harpoons and the whales. 绿色和平希望他们的船能开到港口与鲸鱼群之间的地方。 来自互联网
• NIV Can you fill his hide with harpoons or his head with fishing spears? 7[和合]你能用倒钩枪扎满它的皮，能用鱼叉叉满它的头吗？ 来自互联网

4 risky   

adj.有风险的，冒险的

参考例句：

• It may be risky but we will chance it anyhow.这可能有危险，但我们无论如何要冒一冒险。
• He is well aware how risky this investment is.他心里对这项投资的风险十分清楚。

5 confirmation   

n.证实，确认，批准

参考例句：

• We are waiting for confirmation of the news.我们正在等待证实那个消息。
• We need confirmation in writing before we can send your order out.给你们发送订购的货物之前，我们需要书面确认。

6 inorganic   

adj.无生物的；无机的

参考例句：

• The fundamentals of inorganic chemistry are very important.无机化学的基础很重要。
• This chemical plant recently bought a large quantity of inorganic salt.这家化工厂又买进了大量的无机盐。

7 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

8 hieroglyphic   

n.象形文字

参考例句：

• For centuries hieroglyphic word pictures painted on Egyptian ruins were a mystery.几世纪以来，刻划在埃及废墟中的象形文字一直是个谜。
• Dongba is an ancient hieroglyphic language.东巴文是中国一种古老的象形文字。