太空垃圾-科技时代-休闲区-轻松英语-洪恩在线

SPACE LITTER[1]

The region above earth is, in a way, becoming a dump. Scientists estimate that 10,000 to 15,000 large pieces of junk are orbiting our planet. The space junk includes burned-out rocket engines, old fuel tanks, satellites that have stopped working, and parts of exploded rockets. Most pieces hurtle[2] along at about 6 miles a second.

Space trash has already fallen to earth. Most of it has landed in the oceans or on open land, away from cities. Scientists are working on various ways to clean up the litter while it is till orbiting in space. One suggestion: a satellite that would function as a trash "truck." A space shuttle would carry it into orbit. There, the satellite would track trash and collect it with robot arms. The shuttle would then bring the statellite-and its trash-back to earth.

Where space trash might land is only one problem. Scientists worry more about a greater danger: collisions in orbit between spacecraft and trash. Cleaning up space trash would make space travel safer for satellites -and for astronauts.

注释：

1． litter：
垃圾，废物。表示“杂乱，凌乱不堪”也能用到这个词。比如：We were appalled at the litter of the room. 我们对房间的杂乱无章大为吃惊。它还几个常用的词组：in a litter一片杂乱；in litters多得成堆的：Their country has now problems in litters. 他们的国家眼前问题成堆。

2． hurtle：
猛冲，飞驰。比如：He was hurtling along a country road on a horse.他骑着马在乡间大道上奔驰。它还能表示“声音鸣响，回荡”，比如：The noise of the battle hurtled in the air. 战斗的喧闹声响彻云霄。

太空垃圾

从某种意义上来说，外层空间正在变为一个垃圾场。科学家估计，目前约有1~1.5万个大块垃圾正围绕着地球旋转。这些太空垃圾中有燃烧过的火箭推进器、旧燃料箱、失控的人造卫星以及爆炸的火箭碎片。大多数的太空垃圾都以大约每秒6英里（9.5公里）的速度高速运行。

太空垃圾已有不少落到了地球上。其中大多数掉到了远离城市的海洋或者旷野里。科学家正在探索各种途径以清除仍在太空中运行的垃圾。其中一项建议是：一颗能充当太空“垃圾车”的人造卫星。宇宙飞船可以将这颗卫星送入轨道，在那里，这颗卫星可以追踪垃圾并用机械臂进行回收。然后宇宙飞船可以将卫星连同垃圾一并带回地球。

太空垃圾可能附落到什么地方仅仅是问题之一。科学家担心的是一个更大的危险：在轨道上运行的航天器与太空垃圾发生碰撞。清除太空垃圾能使人造卫星和宇航员的太空之旅更为安全。