经济学人:中国商业航天 (2)-英语课

时间：2019-02-16 作者：英语课 分类：经济学人科技系列

英语课

　　OS-X was assembled in the laboratory where its remnants now reside. OS-X是在实验室中装配的，OS-X的残料现在还在这间实验室内。

　　But OS-M, the next generation, will be built in a factory now nearing completion in Chongqing. 但是在重庆的一家工厂里组装的下一代OS-M即将完成。
　　These solid-fuelled rockets will be 20 metres tall and are destined 1 for orbit. 这些固体燃料火箭高20米，它们将被送入轨道。
　　They will be able to launch payloads of up to 205 kg— 它们将能够发射有效载重高达205公斤的物体—
　　a load the firm hopes eventually to increase to 750 kg by adding four booster rockets to the main one. 公司希望其载重最终能够增加至750公斤（在主要助推火箭上加上四个助推器）。
　　OneSpace's target is the rapidly growing market for small, short-lived satellites that will observe Earth's surface for various purposes. 零壹空间的目标是迅速增长的小型、短期卫星市场，这种卫星将用于各种目的地表观察。
　　At the moment these devices, which weigh only a kilogram or two, 此时，这些设备仅有一两公斤重，
　　are launched mainly as makeweights on missions whose principle purpose is to put a large satellite into space. 发射的这些设备主要用于补足重量，其任务的首要目的是为了在太空安置一个大型卫星。
　　Demand for small-satellite launches is now so great, though, that businesses can be built on it. 对于小型卫星发射的需求很大，因此很多公司可涉足其中。
　　Rocket Lab, an American firm, has recently begun offering dedicated 2 small-satellite launches, using a liquid-fuelled rocket. 美国公司Rocket Lab近期开始提供专门的小型卫星发射，其使用的是液体燃料火箭。
　　OneSpace hopes the first OS-M should be launched before the end of the year. 零壹空间希望首枚OS-M应在年末之前发射。
　　The firm, which was founded in August 2015, owes its birth to government policies, promulgated 3 a year earlier, 这家公司成立于2015年8月，该公司的诞生是政府政策的产物，该政策于一年前公布，
　　that permitted private capital to enter the space industry—previously a state monopoly. 其允许私有资本进入太空行业（先前该领域是国家专营）。
　　It is backed by several Chinese venture-capital firms, including Legend Star, Zhengxuan Capital and the Hongtai Fund. 其得到了几个中国风险投资公司的支持，包括联想之星、正轩投资以及洪泰资本。
　　It says it has already signed a number of contracts to launch small satellites for Chinese customers. 公司表示已经签署了几份合同，为中国客户发射小型卫星。
　　It may not, though, keep its lead for long. Several other firms, including LandSpace and LinkSpace in Beijing, 虽然该公司不可能一直保持其领先地位。一些其他公司，包括北京的蓝箭空间以及翎客航天，
　　and ExPace, in Wuhan, have similar plans and are pressing it hard. 武汉的航天科工火箭，都有相似的计划，都步步紧逼。
　　It seems, then, that in the small-satellite-launch market the Chinese are coming in earnest. 似乎在小型卫星发射市场中，中国公司最早到来。
　　With luck, at least from the customer's point of view, OneSpace and its modern fire arrows are about to ignite a private space race. 如果一切顺利的话，至少从客户角度来看，零壹空间以及其现代化的火箭即将引燃民营太空的竞赛。