The Current Status and Future Plans for NASA's Main Space Telescopes
NASA 主要太空望遠鏡的現況與未來計劃
Introduction
NASA is currently reviewing how much longer the Hubble Space Telescope can operate and planning the next phase for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).
NASA 目前正在評估哈伯太空望遠鏡還能運作多久，並計劃詹姆斯·韋伯太空望遠鏡 (JWST) 的下一階段。
Main Body
The James Webb Space Telescope, which cost $10 billion and was first planned in 1989, has been working for four years. Thanks to its large 6.5-metre mirror and a special sunshield, it can observe distant cosmic events and analyze the atmosphere of planets outside our solar system. Because its primary mission is almost finished, NASA must now formally approve an extension. At the same time, NASA is deciding the fate of the Hubble Space Telescope. A special working group is considering whether to keep Hubble running into the 2030s by boosting its orbit or to begin the process of shutting it down.
詹姆斯·韋伯太空望遠鏡成本高達 100 億美元，最早於 1989 年開始計劃，目前已運作四年。得益於其 6.5 公尺的大型鏡面和特殊的遮陽罩，它能夠觀察遙遠的宇宙事件並分析太陽系外行星的大氣層。由於其首要任務已接近完成，NASA 現在必須正式批准延期。同時，NASA 也在決定哈伯太空望遠鏡的命運。一個特別工作小組正在考慮，應透過提升軌道讓哈伯繼續運作至 2030 年代，還是開始執行關閉程序。
These two telescopes work well together because they observe different types of light, which is essential for understanding how galaxies and stars evolve. Running these projects is expensive, costing about $200 million per year for JWST and $98 million for Hubble. Furthermore, the Space Telescope Science Institute has improved fairness in research. Since 2018, they have used a 'dual-anonymous' review process, which has led to more research proposals from female scientists being accepted.
這兩座望遠鏡協作效果良好，因為它們觀察不同類型的光，這對於理解星系和恆星如何演化至關重要。運行這些項目的成本昂貴，JWST 每年約需 2 億美元，而哈伯則需 9800 萬美元。此外，太空望遠鏡科學研究所提升了研究的公平性。自 2018 年起，他們採用了「雙盲」審查程序，使得更多女性科學家的研究提案獲得通過。
In the future, the JWST will work as part of a larger network with other projects, such as the Vera C. Rubin Observatory and the European Space Agency's Euclid mission. This strategy allows wide-range telescopes to find interesting objects, which the JWST can then study in high detail. Because there is no direct replacement for Hubble until the Habitable Worlds Observatory launches after 2040, it is very important to maintain current ultraviolet observation capabilities.
未來，JWST 將作為一個更大網絡的一部分，與其他項目協作，例如薇拉·魯賓天文台以及歐洲太空局的歐幾里得任務。此策略讓廣域望遠鏡能發現有趣的對象，再由 JWST 進行高精細度的研究。由於在 2040 年後「適居世界天文台」啟動前，沒有直接替代哈伯的設備，因此維持目前的紫外光觀察能力至關重要。
Conclusion
NASA is now evaluating the technical and financial possibilities of extending both missions to ensure that astronomers can continue collecting vital data.
NASA 目前正在評估延長這兩個任務在技術與財務上的可能性，以確保天文學家能繼續收集至關重要的數據。
Vocabulary Learning
🚀 The 'Connective Jump': Moving from Simple to Complex
An A2 student says: "The telescopes are expensive. They help us learn." A B2 student says: "Running these projects is expensive, which is essential for understanding how galaxies evolve."
The Magic Tool: Relative Clauses with 'Which'
In this text, 'which' isn't just used to describe a thing; it is used to comment on a whole idea. This is the fastest way to make your English sound more professional and fluid.
🔍 Case Study from the Text
-
"...different types of light, which is essential for understanding..."
- The A2 logic: I see light. Light is essential.
- The B2 logic: (The fact that they observe different types of light) is essential.
-
"...dual-anonymous review process, which has led to more research proposals..."
- The A2 logic: They used a new process. More women were accepted.
- The B2 logic: (The use of this process) caused the result.
🛠️ How to build this yourself
To move to B2, stop using full stops (.) every five words. Instead, use a comma + which to add a result or an explanation to your previous sentence.
- A2: I study every day. This helps me improve.
- B2: I study every day, which helps me improve.
💡 Quick Vocabulary Upgrade
Instead of using "big" or "important," notice how the article uses 'High-impact' B2 words:
Vitalinstead of Very importantMaintaininstead of KeepEvaluateinstead of CheckCapabilitiesinstead of Things it can do