in low-earth orbit. Giving the International Space Station a neighbor. And it's working

在低地球軌道上。給國際空間站一個鄰居。而且它正在工作

on a tight deadline, because once that rocket lifts off, the countdown begins. That's

在緊迫的期限內，因為一旦火箭升空，倒計時就開始了。這就是

because the space agency hopes to finish the station by 2022, marking an ambitious plan

因為航天局希望在2022年之前完成該站，這標誌著一項雄心勃勃的計劃。

to push the boundaries of the country's human spaceflight program.

突破國家載人航天計劃的界限。

China is no stranger to building space stations and this latest attempt will actually be its

中國對建造空間站並不陌生，這次最新的嘗試實際上將是其

third one. The country has launched two previous experimental space laboratories: Tiangong-1

第三座。該國之前已經發射了兩個實驗性空間實驗室。天宮一號

and Tiangong-2. Translating to “heavenly palace”, Tiangong-1 was the country's

和天宮二號。譯為 "天宮"，天宮一號是該國的

first ever prototype space station that launched in 2011.The space station was in orbit for

該空間站於2011年發射，是有史以來第一個原型空間站。

a few years and even had multiple visits from Chinese astronauts known as taikonauts until

幾年來，甚至有被稱為 "太行 "的中國太空人多次來訪，直到今天。

CMSA lost contact with it after a technical issue in 2016.

在2016年的一個技術問題後，CMSA與它失去了聯繫。

Eventually, Tiangong-1 had to come down, but no one knew exactly where it would land. Luckily

最終，天宮一號不得不降下來，但沒有人知道它到底會在哪裡降落。幸運的是

for everyone, it re-entered over the Pacific Ocean in the spring of 2018. Their second

為大家，它在2018年春天重新進入太平洋上空。他們的第二次

attempt, Tiangong-2 was more successful, as it far surpassed its planned two-year lifespan.

天宮二號的嘗試更為成功，因為它遠遠超過了其計劃的兩年壽命。

It was then deliberately deorbited in 2019 after giving the scientists the data they needed.

然後，在為科學家提供了他們所需的數據之後，它在2019年被故意脫離了軌道。

But now it's time for a new space station and it begins with the launch of the first

但現在是建立一個新空間站的時候了，它從第一座空間站的發射開始。

module, Tianhe-1. Translating to “joining of the heavens'', this core component is the

天河一號模塊。譯為 "天堂的連接"，這個核心部件是

most crucial part. It's the main living space and life support system that's designed

最關鍵的部分。它是主要的生活空間和生命支持系統，旨在

for up to three astronauts for a stay of about six months. On top of that, the module will

最多可容納三名太空人，停留時間約為六個月。除此以外，該艙還將

also provide the propulsion and power element of the station.

也提供空間站的推進和動力元素。

And while Tianhe-1 is the first module to launch, it won't be the last, as it's

雖然 "天河一號 "是第一個發射的模塊，但它不會是最後一個，因為它是

part of a multi-module space station design. The other components will be dedicated

是多模塊空間站設計的一部分。其他組件將是專用的

to conducting science experiments in microgravity. But to complete the station, an additional

在微重力條件下進行科學實驗。但是為了完成這個空間站，還要有一個

11 flights are planned all throughout 2022. And well, that's already much less than

計劃在2022年全年進行11次飛行。而且，這已經遠遠低於

the more than 30 missions it took to build the ISS over the span of a decade. So, talk

在十年的時間裡，為建立國際空間站進行了30多次任務。是以，談

about crunch time. Now, as for its ride, Tianhe-1 will be launching

關於緊縮時間。現在，至於它的坐騎，天河一號將發射

on a Long March 5B rocket. It's China's latest version of its most powerful rocket,

在長征5B火箭上。這是中國最新版本的最強大的火箭。

the Long March 5 and can carry up to 25 metric tons of cargo into low-earth orbit. Standing

長征五號，可將多達25公噸的貨物運入低地球軌道。常設

at roughly 53 meters tall, the rocket is crucial to China's space program as it was designed

該火箭高約53米，對中國的太空計劃至關重要，因為它被設計為

specifically to haul the many components of its space station. So to launch these massive

專門用來拖動其空間站的許多部件。是以，為了發射這些巨大的

payloads, the rocket produces roughly 10,600 kilonewtons of thrust. That's thanks to

有效載荷，該火箭產生大約10,600千牛的推力。這要歸功於

the rocket's two core engines powered by cryogenic liquid hydrogen and four strapon boosters.

火箭的兩個核心引擎由低溫液氫和四個帶狀助推器提供動力。

But what's unique about the Long March 5b rocket is that it doesn't have a second

但長征五號乙火箭的獨特之處在於，它沒有第二個

stage. So during launch, this means that the rocket's four strapon boosters are the ones

階段。是以，在發射過程中，這意味著火箭的四個帶狀助推器是

that provide most of the thrust at liftoff. After those engines detach, the core's main

在升空時提供大部分的推力。在這些引擎分離後，核心的主要

engines take over and push the cargo into orbit for payload separation.

發動機接管並將貨物推入軌道以進行有效載荷分離。

And because the rocket doesn't have reignitable engines, that means that the core will eventually

而且，由於火箭沒有可重燃的發動機，這意味著火箭核心最終將

re-enter the atmosphere and, wait for it... in an uncontrolled way. And while you might

重新進入大氣層，而且，等著吧......以一種不受控制的方式。而當你可能

be worried about that happening in the future, newsflash, it's happened before. Back in

擔心這種情況會在未來發生，快訊，它以前就發生過。早在

2020, a Long March 5b core had an uncontrolled reentry over the Atlantic Ocean, allegedly

2020年，一枚長征5號B型火箭芯在大西洋上空發生了一次不受控制的重返大氣層，據稱是

just missing New York City.

只是錯過了紐約市。

As for launch day, Tianhe will lift off from Wenchang Satellite Launch Center, on the island

至於發射日，"天河 "號將從文昌衛星發射中心升空。

of Hainan. And this will be the first step, because after its launch, there will be a

海南的。而這將是第一步，因為在其推出後，將有一個

flurry of rockets just waiting to take to the skies to try and complete the station by the ambitious deadline, with taikonauts already training to head up to their new space

一批火箭正等待著飛上天空，試圖在雄心勃勃的最後期限前完成空間站的建設，而太倉人已經在訓練前往他們的新空間。

dwellings. Their launch dates are still unknown, but hey, better to be ready than never.

住所。他們的推出日期仍然未知，但嘿，準備好總比不準備好好。

For more Countdown to Launch, check out our playlist here.

更多關於發射倒計時的資訊，請查看我們的播放列表。

Don't forget to subscribe, and if there's another

不要忘記訂閱，如果有另一個

launch you want to see us cover,

你想看到我們報道的發射。

let us know in the comments below.

請在下面的評論中告訴我們。

Thank you so much for watching,

非常感謝您的觀看。

and I'll see you next time on Seeker.

和我下次在Seeker上見到你。