一、听力练习
1.
A. To launch a new rocket.
B. To explore the asteroid Dimorphos and gather data on its changes after the DART impact.
C. To test a new planetary defense method.
D. To analyze the materials used in the DART spacecraft.
2.
A. It increased the orbital period by 33 minutes.
B. It changed the orbit of Dimorphos around Didymos by reducing the orbital period by 33 minutes.
C. It had no effect on the orbit of Dimorphos.
D. It moved Dimorphos further away from Didymos.
3.
A. Its arrival at Dimorphos.
B. A crash test with the DART spacecraft.
C. A gravitational assist as it flies past Mars.
D. A detailed examination of Didymos.
二、听力文本
A European spacecraft has been launched to explore an asteroid struck in an earlier planetary defense mission by the American space agency NASA. The European Space Agency (ESA's) Hera spacecraft launched October 7 from NASA's Cape Canaveral in Florida. The spacecraft, or probe, was carried to space aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Hera is headed to the asteroid Dimorphos. NASA crashed its DART spacecraft into the space rock in 2022 in an area about 11 million kilometers from Earth. The NASA mission was an experiment to test a method for changing the orbit of asteroids that might one day threaten Earth. NASA has said its own studies of the crash showed it was successful because the force of the strike changed the asteroid's orbit around a larger asteroid, called Didymos. Data showed the strike reduced the orbital period of Dimorphos by 33 minutes. But the Hera mission seeks to closely examine Dimorphos to get more details on how the asteroid was changed in the strike by DART. Data collected by the ESA spacecraft will be used together with information gathered by NASA to develop future planetary defense plans. American astronomer Derek Richardson, from the University of Maryland, told reporters before the launch, "The more detail we can glean the better as it may be important for planning a future deflection mission should one be needed.” Officials from ESA have described the $400 million mission as a “crash scene investigation.” Hera project manager Ian Carnelli said the spacecraft was “going back to the crime site and getting all the scientific and technical information.” Hera's trip to the asteroid is expected to take about two years. Next year, the probe plans to get a big gravitational push as it flies past Mars. It should arrive in the area around Dimorphos in December 2026. Before it was hit by DART, Dimorphos circled a larger asteroid from about 1,189 meters out. Scientists believe the orbit is now closer and that Dimorphos changed its shape. Astronomers have also found evidence the asteroid is likely moving differently. Examinations of the DART mission have suggested that rather than being a single hard rock, Dimorphos was more of a collection of rubble pieces held together by gravity. Investigators have said they believe the DART crash might have "completely deformed" the asteroid.
Question 1: What is the main purpose of the European Space Agency's Hera mission?
Question 2: How did the DART mission impact the orbit of Dimorphos?
Question 3: What significant event is planned for the Hera probe next year?
三、重点词汇
1. asteroid: one of many large rocks that circle the sun 小行星
四、背景知识
IT之家 10 月 7 日消息，美国联邦航空管理局（FAA）当地时间 10 月 6 日表示，太空探索技术公司（SpaceX）“猎鹰 9”型主力运载火箭可以复飞，执行计划于周一从佛罗里达州发射欧洲航天局“赫拉”（Hera）航天器的任务。 据IT之家了解，美国联邦航空局此前在 9 月 30 日叫停了 SpaceX“猎鹰 9”型主力运载火箭发射活动，原因是一枚“猎鹰 9”几天前执行载人飞行任务时出现故障，二级火箭没有落到目标区域。 FAA 表示：“FAA 已确定，由于此次任务没有第二级再入大气层，因此在发生 Crew-9 任务所遇到的事故的情况下，对公众的主要风险得到了充分缓解。”第二级将推动 Hera 进入地球逃逸轨道，因此不会再入大气层。 不过，FAA 目前仅允许“猎鹰 9”火箭执行 Hera 任务，其他使用该火箭的发射任务则仍处于暂停状态。 Hera 任务计划于 10 月 7 日发射，主要目标是前往 Didymos 小行星及其卫星 Dimorphos，对 2022 年 NASA 的 DART 任务（双小行星重定向测试）的影响进行深入研究。DART 任务首次成功地通过动能撞击改变了一颗小行星的运行轨道，Hera 任务将对这次历史性撞击的结果进行详细观测，为未来小行星防御任务提供宝贵数据。 尽管 Hera 任务的发射已经获得批准，但临近的发射窗口却面临着多重挑战。首先，佛罗里达州近期天气状况不佳，飓风米尔顿的形成对发射窗口造成了极大的威胁。其次，NASA 的 Europa Clipper 任务也计划在近期发射，两大任务的发射窗口高度重叠，需要进行精密的协调。此外，国际空间站的 Crew-8 任务返回也因天气原因而多次推迟，进一步加大了发射窗口的紧张程度。 ESA 和 SpaceX 正在密切关注天气状况，并与 NASA 进行协调，以确保 Hera 任务能够在最合适的时机发射。（背景知识来自于https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1812218023616602430&wfr=spider&for=pc）
五、参考答案
Question 1: B
Question 2: B
Question 3: C
六、网络翻译
一颗欧洲航天器已经发射，目的是探索一颗在美国航天局NASA之前的行星防御任务中遭到撞击的小行星。欧洲航天局（ESA）的Hera航天器于10月7日从美国佛罗里达州的NASA卡纳维拉尔角发射。该航天器由SpaceX的猎鹰9号火箭运送到太空。Hera正前往小行星Dimorphos。NASA在2022年将其DART航天器撞击了这颗太空岩石，撞击地点距离地球约1100万公里。NASA的任务是实验一种改变可能在未来威胁地球的小行星轨道的方法。NASA表示，针对撞击的研究显示该任务成功，因为撞击的力量改变了小行星围绕更大小行星Didymos的轨道。数据显示，撞击将Dimorphos的轨道周期缩短了33分钟。然而，Hera任务的目的是对Dimorphos进行仔细研究，以获取有关DART撞击如何改变小行星的更多细节。ESA航天器收集的数据将与NASA收集的信息结合，用于制定未来的行星防御计划。来自马里兰大学的美国天文学家德里克·理查森在发射前告诉记者：“我们能获取的细节越多越好，这可能对规划未来的偏转任务非常重要，如果需要的话。”ESA官员将这项价值4亿美元的任务描述为“一次事故现场调查”。Hera项目经理伊恩·卡内利表示，航天器“正回到犯罪现场，获取所有科学和技术信息。”Hera前往小行星的旅行预计将持续约两年。明年，该探测器计划在飞过火星时获得一次大的引力助推。它预计将在2026年12月到达Dimorphos附近。在被DART撞击之前，Dimorphos大约在1189米的距离内围绕更大的小行星旋转。科学家们相信，现在的轨道更近，并且Dimorphos的形状发生了变化。天文学家们还发现该小行星可能正在以不同的方式移动。对DART任务的检查表明，Dimorphos并不是一块坚硬的岩石，而是由重力聚集在一起的一堆碎石。调查人员表示，他们认为DART的撞击可能“完全变形”了这颗小行星。
七、版权说明
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