中國“天舟一號”貨運飛船發射升空
Sustaining a manned space station would be the crowning achievement of China’s ambitious space programme, whose budget, though dwarfed by that of the US, is set to triple by 2026.
維持一個載人空間站將是中國雄心勃勃的空間計劃的最高成就。儘管中國空間計劃的預算與美國相比不算高，但到2026年將增至目前水平的三倍。“The launch of Tianzhou-1 is very significant because once our country’s space station is constructed and launched, it cannot leave its orbit so it will be crucial to send propellant and supplies as well as take back any debris and outdated equipment,” said Jiao WeiXin, a professor at the School of Earth and Space Sciences at Peking University.
“天舟一號的發射是非常重大的事情，因爲一旦我國的空間站建成和發射，它就不能離開軌道，所以補給推進劑和物資，同時回收任何碎片和過時設備是至關重要的，”北京大學(Peking University)地球與空間科學學院教授焦維新表示。China’s manned space station, if launched as planned in 2022, would become the only one in orbit when Nasa’s International Space Station is retired from service in 2028.
中國的載人空間站如果按計劃在2022年發射，它將在美國國家航空航天局(NASA)的國際空間站(International Space Station)在2028年退役後成爲唯一在軌的空間站。
“After our space station is launched, then if the US or Russia needs to do space research, then we can say, ‘sorry, you will have to contact China and co-operate with us’,” said Prof Jiao.
“在我國的空間站發射之後，如果美國或俄羅斯需要進行空間研究，那麼我們可以說：‘抱歉，你必須聯繫中國，與我們合作，’”焦維新表示。The Soviet Union was the first to successfully pull off docking between unmanned ships in 1967. However, in-orbit refuelling is an engineering feat that has only been completed a handful of times. The Tianzhou-1 can carry nearly six tonnes of supplies including fuel, according to state media agency Xinhua.
蘇聯在1967年首次實現無人飛船在太空對接。然而，在軌推進劑補加是一項僅僅完成了幾次的工程壯舉。據官方的新華社報道，天舟一號可以攜帶近6噸物資，包括燃料。China’s space programme has largely replicated the trajectory of those of the US and Russia. The three-part modular design of the Tiangong II space lab is based on Russia’s Mir space station, which was in orbit until 2001.
中國的空間計劃基本上重走美國和俄羅斯走過的老路。天宮二號空間實驗室的三部分模塊化設計，就是基於俄羅斯早在2001年就退役的和平號空間站(Mir space station)。China plans to send a rover to Mars by 2020 and has set a 2036 deadline for putting a man on the moon.
中國計劃到2020年向火星發射探測器，還設定了到2036年把航天員送上月球的截止期限。
The country’s rapid space technology build-up stoked envy among regional neighbours, notably India, whose national space programme has lagged behind that of its great Asian rival.
中國空間技術的快速發展引起亞洲鄰國的豔羨，尤其是印度，該國的空間計劃落後於其在亞洲的最大對手。Beijing views the Chinese space programme as “an important part of the nation’s overall development strategy”, according to a government white paper detailing China’s five-year space plans. “It has opened up a path of self-reliance and independent innovation.”
根據詳細介紹中國五年空間計劃的政府白皮書，北京把中國的空間計劃視爲“國家整體發展戰略的重要組成部分……走出了一條自力更生、自主創新的發展道路”。Tianzhou-1, nicknamed “Tiangong’s express delivery little brother” by Chinese media, is almost 11 metres long, has a diameter of 3.35m and weighs 13 tonnes. It was launched by a Chinese Long March rocket from the newly built Wenchang Satellite Launch Centre in the island province of Hainan.
被中國媒體親切稱爲“快遞小哥”的天舟一號，長11米，直徑3.35米，重13噸，由中國長征火箭從在海南省新建的文昌衛星發射中心發射。When it has completed its mission, it will decouple from the Tiangong space station, descend from orbit and burn up in the atmosphere.
完成任務後，天舟一號將與天宮空間站分離，從軌道下降，在大氣層中焚燬。
