SpaceX發(fā)射實驗性遮陽板以降低反射率

SpaceX launches experimental sun visor to reduce the reflectivity

SpaceX發(fā)射實驗性遮陽板以降低反射率

SpaceX has swiftly followed last week’s historic launch of the Crew Dragon with another momentous liftoff, this time firing a further 60 high-speed internet satellites into orbit as part of its Starlink project.

在上周歷史性地發(fā)射了“乘龍”號之后，SpaceX迅速又進行了一次重大發(fā)射，這次將60顆高速互聯(lián)網(wǎng)衛(wèi)星送入軌道，這是其Starlink項目的一部分。

Among those was a prototype fitted out with an experimental sun visor designed to reduce the reflectivity, which shapes as a potential solution to a problem that has plagued astronomers banking on clear views of the night sky.

其中一個原型機配備了一個實驗性的遮陽板，旨在降低反射率，這可能解決了一個困擾天文學家的問題，即對夜空有更清晰的觀測。

Through its Starlink program, SpaceX hopes to blanket the entire globe in high-speed internet and connect the billions of people that currently go without. All going to plan, the mega-constellation will include some 42,000 satellites, with today’s launch of 60 the eighth of the program, bringing the total currently in orbit to 482.

SpaceX希望通過它的Starlink計劃，在高速互聯(lián)網(wǎng)上覆蓋全球，將數(shù)十億沒有互聯(lián)網(wǎng)的人連接起來。按照計劃，這個巨型星座將包括約4.2萬顆衛(wèi)星，今天發(fā)射的60顆是該計劃的第8次發(fā)射，使目前在軌的衛(wèi)星總數(shù)達到482顆。

These satellites began to cause some controversy last year, with astronomers finding their observations were being compromised by the bright streaks of light. SpaceX has also experimented with darkening treatments to make them less visible, and now it is testing out a more sophisticated approach which it revealed in detail last month.

這些衛(wèi)星從去年開始引起了一些爭議，天文學家發(fā)現(xiàn)他們的觀測被明亮的光帶破壞了。SpaceX還試驗了變暗處理，以使它們不那么顯眼，現(xiàn)在它正在測試一種更復雜的方法，該公司上月公布了該方法的細節(jié)。

One of the 60 Starlink satellites that launched as part of today’s mission was equipped with a deployable sun visor, designed to block sunlight from hitting most of the spacecraft’s body. The visor packs flat against the satellite chassis for launch and then is deployed once it separates from the rocket, combining with controlled maneuvers to reduce its overall reflectivity.

作為今天任務的一部分發(fā)射的60顆星鏈衛(wèi)星中，有一顆裝備了可展開的遮陽板，旨在阻止陽光照射到航天器的大部分部位。遮陽板在發(fā)射時被平裝在衛(wèi)星底盤上，一旦從火箭上分離就會被展開，結合控制動作來降低其整體反射率。

Today’s launch from Cape Canaveral went off without a hitch, with the prototype VisorSat joining the other Starlink satellites in orbit. Soon after, the first stage of the Falcon 9 booster came down to land on SpaceX’s droneship stationed in the ocean. This marked the fifth time that same Falcon 9 had launched and landed, the first orbital class rocket booster to do so.

今天從卡納維拉爾角發(fā)射成功，VisorSat原型加入了Starlink衛(wèi)星軌道上的其他衛(wèi)星。不久之后，獵鷹9號助推器的第一級降落在SpaceX設在海上的無人機上。這是獵鷹9號第五次發(fā)射和著陸，也是第一個軌道級火箭助推器。

According to SpaceX, all satellites launched on the ninth Starlink mission will be fitted out with these visors. This is scheduled to take place later in June.

據(jù)SpaceX公司稱，所有執(zhí)行第9次Starlink任務的衛(wèi)星都將配備這些遮陽板。這將在6月下旬進行。