太空船撞擊小行星
Though it may seem like the plot of a Hollywood movie, a NASA spacecraft successfully completed its mission last week by ramming into an asteroid in the hope of diverting it from its course.
雖然看似好萊塢電影的情節，但美國太空總署的一艘太空船上週成功地完成了任務，撞進一枚小行星，希望讓它偏離軌道。
ram(v.)猛撞;猛擊ram into…撞進=crash into…=slam into…=impactasteroid(n.)小行星in the hope of...希望=in hopes of...divert(v.)使改變方向、使轉向、使繞道而行
The spacecraft named DART, which is an acronym for Double Asteroid Redirection Test, was part of a US$325 million planetary defense mission attempting “to shift the position of an asteroid or any other natural object in space.”
這艘太空船名為「DART」，是「Double Asteroid Redirection Test」（雙小行星改道測試）的縮寫，是斥資3.25億美元的行星防禦任務的一部分，該任務試圖「改變小行星或任何其他自然物體在太空中的位置」。
acronym(n.)首字母縮寫詞
DART’s target was a 160m asteroid named Dimorphos, which is a moonlet of a larger asteroid called Didymos, or Greek for “twin.”
DART太空船的目標是一顆160米的小行星，名為「迪莫弗斯」（Dimorphos），與體積較大的小行星「迪迪莫斯」（Didymos，希臘語中的雙胞胎），前者為後者的小衛星。
moonlet(n.)小衛星
To complete the mission, the spacecraft was sent 11.3 million kilometers to plow into Dimorphos at a speed of 22,500kph.
為了完成任務，這艘太空船以22,500公里／小時的速度，衝撞距地球1,130萬公里的「迪莫弗斯」。
plow into…撞上=ram into…plow(v.)耕;犁
While the asteroid was not a direct threat to Earth, scientists hope that “lessons learned from the impact might one day help…divert dangerous asteroids from hitting” the planet.
雖然小行星不對地球構成直接威脅，但科學家們希望「從撞擊中學到的經驗有一天可能會幫助……讓危險的小行星改道，不要撞擊地球。」
learn a lesson from…從…得到教訓、汲取經驗
NASA scientists were able to view this epic collision almost in real time, as DART’s final moments were recorded by an onboard camera, which beamed one image per second back to ground controllers in the United States.
NASA科學家們幾乎可以實時觀看這場史詩般的碰撞，當DART的最後時刻被太空船上的相機記錄下來，這台相機每秒將圖像傳回在美國的地面控制人員。
epic(n.)史詩(adj.)史詩般的real time 同步、同時beam(n.)光線;光束(v.)發射(電波);傳送=transmit
Dimorphos’s rocky surface appeared closer and closer in each consecutive image, with the signal dying on impact.
在每張連續的圖像中，迪莫弗斯的岩石表面似乎越來越近，最後訊號在撞擊時消失。
consecutive(adj.)連續的、連貫的、無間斷的
Luckily, the explosion of rock and debris caused by the 500-kilogram spacecraft hitting the asteroid’s surface was actually detected by several professional and amateur terrestrial telescopes.
幸運的是，這艘500公斤重的太空船撞擊小行星表面引起的岩石和碎片爆炸，實際上被數個專業和業餘的地面望遠鏡觀測到。
debris(n.)碎片;瓦礫堆;廢墟detect(v.)(通常指用特別設備)探測;檢測;觀測terrestrial(adj.)地球的;與地球有關的
DART’s impact, which was reportedly only 17 meters away from its intended target spot, was met with cheers and jubilation by NASA flight controllers.
據報導，DART的撞擊距離其預定目標點僅17米，讓NASA飛行控制員歡欣鼓舞。
be met with…受到…的反應jubilation(n.)(尤指因成功而感到)歡欣;喜氣洋洋
According to DART Mission Systems Engineer Elena Adams, “As far as we can tell, our first planetary defense test was a success.”
DART任務系統工程師亞當斯說，「據我們所知，我們的第一次行星防禦測試是成功的。」
However, the full effects of the mission on Dimorphos’s orbit may take weeks, or even months, to be determined.
然而，該任務對迪莫弗斯軌道的全部影響可能需要數週甚至數月才能確定。
determine(v.)確定;測定;查明
Earthlings will, therefore, have to wait a bit longer to sleep easy, after officially knowing just how effective Earth’s defense system really is.
因此，在正式知道地球的防禦系統到底有多有效前，地球人將不得不等待更長的時間才能安心入睡。
earthling(n.)地球人sleep easy安然入睡=rest easy