오늘의 영어 학습 기사
In a triumphant mission milestone, NASA has successfully brought home dusty samples from an asteroid known as Bennu, described as the "most dangerous known rock in the Solar System." The U.S. space agency's Osiris-Rex spacecraft safely delivered the precious cargo to the West Desert of Utah state, much to the delight of scientists and space enthusiasts alike.
The journey of these samples began in 2020 when the Osiris-Rex spacecraft delicately scooped up material from the surface of asteroid Bennu, a celestial body that has garnered attention not only for its potential scientific insights but also for its slim chance of colliding with Earth within the next 300 years.
One of the primary objectives of this mission is to unravel the mysteries surrounding Bennu, an intriguing mountainous asteroid. However, the significance of these samples extends far beyond Bennu itself. Scientists believe that the material could hold clues about the formation of our Solar System, dating back a staggering 4.6 billion years, and even shed light on the origins of life on Earth.
The moment of jubilation arrived when the Osiris-Rex team observed their capsule on long-range cameras as it descended to Earth. Touchdown, which occurred three minutes ahead of schedule, was confirmed at 08:52 local time, following a heart-pounding atmospheric entry at speeds exceeding 12 kilometers per second (27,000 miles per hour). The capsule, roughly the size of a car tire, was expertly guided through the descent by a combination of a heatshield and parachutes, ultimately landing gently on restricted ground.
Tim Priser, the chief engineer at aerospace manufacturer Lockheed Martin, marveled at the capsule's precision, stating, "This little capsule understood the assignment. It touched down like a feather."
The retrieval operation in the desert received glowing reviews from recovery workers, with some describing it as "awesome." Osiris-Rex principal investigator Dante Lauretta shared his emotional experience, revealing, "I cried like a baby in that helicopter when I heard that the parachute had opened, and we were coming in for a soft landing. It was just an overwhelming moment for me. It's an astounding accomplishment."
Scientists are eager to commence their analysis of the valuable samples, which pre-landing estimates suggest weigh around 250 grams (9 ounces). While this may seem modest in scale, it is more than sufficient for the precise tests that NASA intends to conduct. Eileen Stansbery, the chief scientist at NASA's Johnson Space Center, emphasized, "We can analyze at a very high resolution very small particles. So, 250 grams is huge.“
Maintaining cleanliness was a top priority during the recovery mission to prevent contamination of the samples. The capsule was swiftly transported to a temporary clean room at the nearby Dugway army base, where it was sealed under a pure nitrogen gas purge to ensure its safety.
Within four hours of touchdown, the capsule was disassembled, with its heatshield and back cover removed, while the precious sample remained securely stored inside an inner canister. This inner canister is set to be transported to a dedicated facility at Johnson Space Center, where the detailed analysis of the samples will commence.
UK scientist Ashley King will be part of a select team conducting the initial assessment. He anticipates discovering a soft and fragile rocky material with clay minerals and an abundance of carbon. Additionally, he expects to find chondrules and calcium-aluminium inclusions, which are among the earliest solid materials to have formed in our Solar System.
NASA has planned a press conference for October 11th to share its initial findings from the returned samples. Moreover, small specimens will be distributed to research teams around the world, with expectations of reporting a wide range of findings within the next two years.
Lori Glaze, NASA's director of planetary science, emphasized the mission's long-term impact, stating, "One of the most important parts of a sample-return mission is we take 75% of that sample and we're going to lock it away for future generations, for people who haven't even been born yet to work in laboratories that don't exist today, using instrumentation we haven't even thought of yet." The legacy of this ambitious mission promises to endure for generations to come.
출처 : 스피쿠스
한글요약
NASA의 오시리스-렉스 우주선이 베누 소행성에서 채취한 표본을 지구로 성공적으로 가져왔습니다. 이 소행성은 태양계에서 가장 위험한 암석으로 알려져 있으며, 이번 미션은 지구에 충돌할 가능성이 있는 베누의 미스터리를 풀기 위한 것입니다. 채취한 표본은 태양계의 형성과 지구상의 생명 기원에 대한 단서를 제공할 수 있습니다. 표본은 미국 유타주 서부 사막에 안착했으며, NASA는 10월 11일에 초기 분석 결과를 공유할 예정입니다. 이 표본은 미래 세대와 연구를 위해 75%가 보관될 것입니다.
학습 키워드 단어
- asteroid : 소행성
- 예문:"The astronomers were excited to observe the asteroid as it passed close to Earth."
- Samples: 표본
- 예문: "The laboratory received the rock samples for detailed chemical analysis."
- Contamination: 오염
- 예문: "To ensure the integrity of the experiment, we must avoid any contamination of the samples."
- Capsule: 캡슐
- 예문: "The space capsule re-entered the Earth's atmosphere protected by its heat shield."
- Parachutes: 낙하산
- 예문: "The aircraft released three supply containers with parachutes to the ground troops below."
학습 표현
- "Touched down like a feather": 깃털처럼 부드럽게 착륙하다.
- "Understood the assignment": 임무를 제대로 수행하다.