278.（双语文稿）三名宇航员即将登上太空站

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China plans to send three astronauts to its new space station later this month.

中国计划在本月底向该国的新空间站派遣3名宇航员。

The plans were confirmed to state television by Yang Liwei, a chief designer for China's manned space program. Yang was the country's first astronaut to launch into orbit in 2003.
中国载人航天工程的副总设计师杨利伟向中国中央电视台证实了这些计划。杨利伟是该国在2013年首位进入轨道的宇航员。

Three astronauts are to complete a three-month mission on the new space station, called Tianhe. It is the third and largest space station China has built. Its main module was launched into orbit April 29.
这3名宇航员将在天和号新空间站完成一项为期3个月的任务。天和号是第3个，也是中国打造的最大的空间站。它的主要模块于4月29日被发射进入轨道。

Last Sunday, a self-piloted spacecraft arrived at the space station carrying supplies. Chinese officials said the Tianzhou-2 spacecraft reached the station eight hours after lanching from Hainan, an island in the South China Sea. The spacecraft was carrying space suits, living supplies, equipment and fuel.
上周日，一艘自动驾驶飞船携带物资抵达该空间站。中国官员表示，天舟2号飞船从海南岛发射升空8小时之后抵达天和号空间站。该飞船上载有宇航服、生活用品、设备以及燃料。

The astronauts will be carried to space aboard the country's Shenzhou 12 spacecraft. It will launch from China's Jiuquan base in the northwest.
这些宇航员将搭乘该国的神州12号飞船进入太空。它将在中国西北部的酒泉基地发射升空。

Yang did not provide the identities of the astronauts or give a flight date in his comments to China Central Television. But he said the astronauts were expected to practice spacewalks, complete repairs and carry out some scientific operations.
杨利伟在中央电视台的评论中并未给出宇航员的身份或是升空日期。但是他表示，预计宇航员将练习太空行走、完成维修并进行一些科学操作。

When asked whether any women were in the crew, Yang said none would be joining the upcoming mission. "But missions after that all will have them," he added.
当被问到船员中是否有女性时，杨利伟表示，即将到来的这次任务中不会有女性。他还表示：“但是此后的任务会有女性加入。”

China does not take part in activities aboard the International Space Station, largely because of U.S. objections. U.S. officials are suspicious of the Chinese space program's secrecy and its connections to the country's military.
省略翻译

The Chinese space agency plans a total of 11 launches through the end of next year. The missions will transport the remaining modules for the 70-ton space station and transport more supplies and crew.
中国航天局计划在明年年底前共进行11次发射。这些任务将运输重达70吨的空间站的剩余模块，并运输更多的补给品和船员。

China has sent 11 astronauts -- including two women -- into space, beginning with Yang's flight in October 2003. The first female astronaut was Liu Yang in 2012.
从2003年10月杨利伟升空以来，中国已经将11名宇航员送入太空，其中包括2名女宇航员。第一位女宇航员是2012年的刘洋。

All of China's astronauts to date have been pilots from the ruling Communist Party's military branch, the People's Liberation Army.
迄今为止，中国所有宇航员都来自pla的飞行员。

Yang said the astronauts will practice making spacewalks with two people outside the station at one time. China's first spacewalk was made in 2008 by astronaut Zhai Zhigang outside the Shenzhou 7 spacecraft.
杨利伟表示，宇航员将会练习单次两名宇航员在空间站外进行太空行走。2008年，宇航员翟志刚在神舟7号飞船外完成了中国首次太空行走。

The space station mission marks the latest step forward for China's space program.
空间站任务标志着中国航天计划向前迈进的最新一步。

Last month, China made history by successfully landing a spacecraft on Mars. The Tianwen-1 spacecraft carried a robotic explorer, called Zhurong. The explorer, or rover, is expected to measure atmospheric conditions and magnetic forces during its search for signs of ancient life on the Red Planet.
上个月，中国航天器历史性地成功登陆火星。天问一号飞船搭载了一台名为祝融号的火星探测车。这台探测车预计将在寻找火星远古生命迹象的过程中测量其天气条件和磁力。