India Successfully Shoots Down Satellite in Missile Test

印度成功试射导弹击落卫星

India has successfully test-fired a missile that destroyed a low-orbit satellite in space.

印度成功试射了一枚导弹，摧毁了太空中一颗低轨道卫星。

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the test Wednesday in a nationally televised speech. He said the development marked a major step forward in the nation's efforts to become a world power in space technology.

印度总理莫迪周三在全国电视讲话中宣布了这项测试。他说，这标志着该国成为全球空间技术大国的努力迈出了一大步。

"Our scientists shot down a live satellite 300 kilometers away in space, in low-earth orbit," Modi announced, speaking in Hindi. He added that through the test, India had "registered its name as a space power."

莫迪用印地语宣布：“我们的科学家击落了太空300公里以外的低地球轨道上的一颗活动卫星。”他还说，通过这次测试，印度已经跻身为太空强国。

Satellites collect valuable information and carry out important communication activities during modern warfare. Anti-satellite weapons permit enemies to attack the equipment. The same technology can also be used to develop weapons to block incoming missiles.

卫星在现代战争期间用于收集有价值情报并进行重要的通讯活动。反卫星武器让对手可以攻击这种设备。同样的技术还能用于开发反导武器。

Modi said the test was not designed to create "an atmosphere of war" with any of its neighbors. "I want to assure the world community that the new capability is not against anyone. This is to secure and defend fast-growing India," he said.

莫迪说，这次测试并不是为了同任何邻国制造战争气氛。他说：“我想向国际社会保证，这项新能力不会对任何国家产生影响。这是为了保护和捍卫快速发展的印度。”

India's foreign ministry said the anti-satellite system was meant to protect against possible threats against the country's "growing space-based assets." In addition, the technology would help guard against possible missile attacks, the statement said.

印度外交部表示，反卫星系统旨在防范该国“日益增长的太空资产”可能面临的威胁。此外，此项技术还有助于防范可能的导弹袭击。

Very few countries have used such weapons. India became just the fourth nation to do so, following the United States, China and Russia.

很少有国家使用过这种武器。印度成为继美国、中国和俄罗斯之后，第四个这样做的国家。

Such abilities have made some countries fear that anti-satellite technology could fuel the development of new space weapons, security experts say. This could set off a race between competing nations.

安全专家表示，这种能力使得一些国家担心反卫星技术可能助长新太空武器的发展，这可能会引发竞争国家之间的竞赛。

After India's announcement, China's foreign ministry said it hoped all countries would seek to continually "protect lasting peace and tranquility in space."

中国外交部在印度宣告之后表示，希望所有国家都能继续“维护太空的持久和平与安宁。”

In the U.S., acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan warned that such tests risk leaving a "mess" in space from the pieces they leave behind. "My message would be: We all live in space, let's not make it a mess," Shanahan said. "Space should be a place where we can conduct business. Space is a place where people should have the freedom to operate."

美国代理国防部长帕特里克·沙纳汉(Patrick Shanahan)警告称，这种测试面临风险，其留下的碎片可能会给太空造成混乱。沙纳汉表示：“我想说的是，这是我们共同的太空，不要让它变得一团糟。太空应该是我们开展业务的地方，应该是人们自由运作的地方。”

Anti-satellite weapons that break up their targets can send many pieces flying through space. Experts say these pieces, also called debris, could threaten satellites or spacecraft in Earth's orbit.

摧毁目标的反卫星武器会让很多碎片在太空乱飞。专家称这些碎片可能会威胁到地球轨道上的卫星或航天器。

India's foreign ministry said after its missile test that officials believed there was little risk of major debris created that could hit other objects. It said this was because the test happened in low-Earth orbit and the pieces were expected to "decay and fall back on to the Earth within weeks."

印度外交部在进行导弹试验后表示，有关方面认为产生会撞到其它物体的大型碎片的风险很小。它或这是因为测试发生在低地球轨道上，预计这些碎片会在几周内分解并掉回到地球上。

A spokesman for the U.S. Department of Defense said the military's Strategic Command was tracking more than 250 pieces of debris from India's missile test and would continue to do so.

美国国防部发言人表示，军方的战略指挥部正在跟踪印度导弹试验中的250多块碎片，并将会保持下去。

India has at times experienced tense relations with its neighbor to the north, Pakistan. Both nations are nuclear-armed powers. In February, 40 Indian soldiers were killed in a suicide bombing in Kashmir, a disputed area claimed by both India and Pakistan. Later, India reported it had answered the bombing with a "surgical strike" on a terrorist camp in Pakistan.

印度不时同北方邻国巴基斯坦发生紧张关系。这两个国家都是核武器国家。今年2月，有40名印度士兵在克什米尔地区发生的自杀性爆炸中身亡，克什米尔地区是印巴都宣示主权的有争议地区。有报道称，随后印度对巴基斯坦的恐怖分子营地进行了“外科手术式打击”作为回应。

Pakistan's foreign ministry reacted to India's anti-satellite test in a statement. "Space is the common heritage of mankind and every nation has the responsibility to avoid actions which can lead to the militarization of this arena," the statement said.

巴基斯坦外交部在一份声明中对印度的反卫星测试做出了回应。声明称：“太空是人类的共同遗产。每个国家都有责任避免采取可能导致这一领域军事化的行动。”

Modi's announcement came just two weeks before a general election. Some opposition politicians accused Modi of trying to earn political favor by announcing the test on national television.

莫迪是在大选两个星期前宣布这一消息的。一些反对派政客指责莫迪试图通过在全国电视上宣布这次测试来获得政治上的支持。

I'm Bryan Lynn.

布莱恩·琳恩报道。

India has successfully test-fired a missile that destroyed a low-orbit satellite in space.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the test Wednesday in a nationally televised speech. He said the development marked a major step forward in the nation’s efforts to become a world power in space technology.

“Our scientists shot down a live satellite 300 kilometers away in space, in low-earth orbit,” Modi announced, speaking in Hindi. He added that through the test, India had “registered its name as a space power.”

Satellites collect valuable information and carry out important communication activities during modern warfare. Anti-satellite weapons permit enemies to attack the equipment. The same technology can also be used to develop weapons to block incoming missiles.

Modi said the test was not designed to create "an atmosphere of war" with any of its neighbors. "I want to assure the world community that the new capability is not against anyone. This is to secure and defend fast-growing India," he said.

India’s foreign ministry said the anti-satellite system was meant to protect against possible threats against the country’s “growing space-based assets.” In addition, the technology would help guard against possible missile attacks, the statement said.

Very few countries have used such weapons. India became just the fourth nation to do so, following the United States, China and Russia.

Such abilities have made some countries fear that anti-satellite technology could fuel the development of new space weapons, security experts say. This could set off a race between competing nations.

After India’s announcement, China’s foreign ministry said it hoped all countries would seek to continually “protect lasting peace and tranquility in space.”

In the U.S., acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan warned that such tests risk leaving a “mess” in space from the pieces they leave behind. “My message would be: We all live in space, let’s not make it a mess,” Shanahan said. “Space should be a place where we can conduct business. Space is a place where people should have the freedom to operate.”

Anti-satellite weapons that break up their targets can send many pieces flying through space. Experts say these pieces, also called debris, could threaten satellites or spacecraft in Earth’s orbit.

India’s foreign ministry said after its missile test that officials believed there was little risk of major debris created that could hit other objects. It said this was because the test happened in low-Earth orbit and the pieces were expected to “decay and fall back on to the Earth within weeks.”

A spokesman for the U.S. Department of Defense said the military’s Strategic Command was tracking more than 250 pieces of debris from India’s missile test and would continue to do so.

India has at times experienced tense relations with its neighbor to the north, Pakistan. Both nations are nuclear-armed powers. In February, 40 Indian soldiers were killed in a suicide bombing in Kashmir, a disputed area claimed by both India and Pakistan. Later, India reported it had answered the bombing with a “surgical strike” on a terrorist camp in Pakistan.

Pakistan’s foreign ministry reacted to India’s anti-satellite test in a statement. “Space is the common heritage of mankind and every nation has the responsibility to avoid actions which can lead to the militarization of this arena,” the statement said.

Modi’s announcement came just two weeks before a general election. Some opposition politicians accused Modi of trying to earn political favor by announcing the test on national television.

I’m Bryan Lynn.

_____________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

assure – v. make something sure

asset – n. something of value that is owned

tranquility – n. feeling of calm and quietness

mess – n. state of disorder

decay – v. gradually become weak or destroyed

surgical – adj. resembling the exact, careful work of a surgeon

heritage – n. traditions or practices passed down in a culture or society

arena – n. place or area of interest