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ESA Spacecraft to Land on a Comet
After a long flight through deep space, a European Space Agency probe is finally approaching its target - a comet millions of kilometers away from earth. Scientists say the mission may lead to some startling discoveries about the origins of the water on earth.
Ten years ago, a European Space Agency rocket took off with a spacecraft called Rosetta, on a mission to perform the most detailed study of a comet.
While asteroids are large rocks, almost like small planets, comets are mostly made of ice, says Ralph Cordey, the business manager for Airbus Defense and Space, which built the Rosetta spacecraft.
“We know today that our Earth has a great deal of water on it, we don't know exactly where it came from and it's likely that comets had a lot to do with that process," said Cordey.
It took more than 10 years for Rosetta to make three swings around Earth and one around Mars - gathering enough speed to reach the comet named 67P / Churyumov-Gerasimenko, 400,000 kilometers from Earth.
For the last two-and-half years many of its onboard systems were in the sleep mode to save energy, says Airbus engineer Simon Barraclough.
“So when we're close to the Sun, a lot of things are on. When we're further from the Sun, a lot of things are off," said Barraclough.
A 'wake-up call' in January brought cheers in the mission headquarters in Darmstadt, Germany, as a signal from Rosetta indicated that its computer was wide awake again.
The spacecraft will soon start orbiting the comet at a distance of about 10 kilometers, taking measurements and mapping its surface.
In November, it is scheduled to release a smaller probe called Philae, which will land on the comet.
Cordey says both Rosetta and Philae will measure the comet’s gas and dust and send pictures of its surface.
“It will also have a very nice radar system onboard it which will communicate with the orbiting spacecraft - the mothercraft - and use the radar signals to probe the heart of the comet's nucleus. So it's not just looking at the surface or the environment around it, it's actually going to be probing what's underneath the surface," he said.
The probes will travel with the comet for a full year.
Rosetta will continue measuring how the comet changes as it approaches the sun and starts to warm up, while Philae will analyze samples of the its surface and subsurface.
词汇解析
laser
难度：4星核心词汇，属常用3000词
英汉解释
n.激光；镭射
参考例句
用作名词 (n.)
Lasers can be used to perform operations nowadays.
现在激光可以用来做手术。
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finding
难度：5星基本词汇，属常用1000词
英汉解释
n.调查(或研究)的结果；[律] 裁决
find的现在分词.
参考例句
用作名词 (n.)
The finding is based on such an inquiry.
基于如上调查所得出的发现
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male
难度：5星基本词汇，属常用1000词
英汉解释
adj.男性的；雄性的
n.男子；雄性动物
参考例句
用作形容词 (adj.)
In early days only male athletes were allowed to take part in the Olympic Games.
在奥林匹克运动会早期，只有男性运动员才能参加比赛。
用作名词 (n.)
The male of the species has a white tail.
这一物种的雄性有一条白色的尾巴。
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basis
难度：5星基本词汇，属常用1000词
英汉解释
n.基础；根据；基底
参考例句
用作名词 (n.)
His research formed the basis of his new book.
他的研究成果是他这本新书的基矗
This country's heavy industry rests on a broad and firm base.
这个国家的重工业有广泛坚实的底子。
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exhibit
难度：4星核心词汇，属常用3000词
英汉解释
v.展览；陈列；展示；表现
n.展品；展览
参考例句
用作动词 (v.)
Many unearthed cultural relics were exhibited at the museum.
博物馆展出了许多出土文物。
用作名词 (n.)
They deprecated the new exhibit.
他们很不赞成新展品。
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spacecraft
难度：2星扩展词汇，属常用10000词
英汉解释
n.宇宙飞船
参考例句
用作名词 (n.)
Spacecraft have already traveled to other planets.
宇宙飞船已游览了别的行星。
The spacecraft is orbiting the moon.
宇宙飞船正绕月球飞行。
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signal
难度：5星基本词汇，属常用1000词
英汉解释
n.信号；标志
v.(发信号)通知、表示
adj.显著的
参考例句
用作名词 (n.)
A red lamp is often a danger signal.
红灯常常是危险的信号。
用作动词 (v.)
The police signalled the traffic to move forward slowly.
警察向来往车辆打信号，示意缓慢前行。
用作形容词 (adj.)
People speak of Mark Twain as a signal humourous writer.
人们称马克·吐温为杰出的幽默作家。
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