Why space is about to enter its nuclear age

  • Fission Nuclear fission 核裂变 Fission-powered engines would make satellites speedier and more manoeuvrable 核裂变技术引擎将使卫星速度更快，机动性更强
  • manoeuvrable Something that is manoeuvrable can be easily moved into different positions 容易移动的; 操纵灵活的
  • blew up 爆炸，夸大，充气 Russia blew up a defunct satellite 此处blew up为引爆
  • defunct
    If something is defunct, it no longer exists or has stopped functioning or operating 不再存在的; 不再起作用的
  • shrapnel (炸弹或炮弹的) 碎片 creating shrapnel that will orbit the Earth for decades 所产生的碎片将会绕地球运行几十年
  • Direct ascent
     **Direct ascent** is a method of landing a spacecraft on the Moon or another planet directly, without first assembling the vehicle in Earth orbit, or carrying a separate landing vehicle into orbit around the target body.
    直接起飞（Direct ascent）是美国太空计划登月计划阶段被提出的一种方案
  • echo 发出回声，附和 echoed a similar weapons test carried out（实施） by China in 2007； 遥相呼应
  • enduring the original form is “endure”
  • debris which also created an enduring cloud of debris (碎片云)
  • inoperative An inoperative rule, principle, or tax is one that does not work any more； India and America have shot at inoperative satellites, too . 失效的
  • long-lasting Something that is long-lasting lasts for a long time fortunately without creating as much associated long-lasting space junk. 长期的

All this target-practice concerns American defence chiefs,

who would struggle to fight a war if critical satellites were

knocked out.

sth concerns sb (sth 使 sb 担心)

struggle to fight a war (很难打赢战斗)

knocked out (破坏，淘汰)

critical （此处为重要的）