Editorial丨Launch signals wider-opening space sector

Traditionally, China's astronauts are selected from among fighter plane pilots with ample flying experience, as they can control the machinery and have the training to stay calm should an emergency arise in space.

中国的航天员通常是从具有丰富飞行经验的战斗机飞行员中挑选出来的，因为他们可以驾驶航天器，并且接受过冷静应对太空中紧急情况的训练。

Yet among the three astronauts aboard Shenzhou XVI, which is taking them to Tiangong, China's space station, is Gui Haichao, a professor from Beihang University. He is the first civilian China has sent into space, and will conduct space science experiments, collect and analyze data and maintain the lab devices on the space station.

然而，在前往中国天宫空间站的神舟十六号的三名航天员中，有北京航空航天大学教授桂海潮。他是中国第一个进入太空的平民航天员，他将在空间站进行空间科学实验，收集和分析数据，维护实验室设备。

That's good news for the nation's space science, as he will be more professional in carrying out research experiments on the space station.

这对中国航天科学来说是个好消息，因为科学家将更加专业地在空间站开展研究实验。

It is also good news for China's astronautics sector, as it shows that the nation is confident enough to send persons other than military pilots into space. It means that the threshold for traveling into space is being lowered, offering hope to many that one day ordinary people will be able to buy a ticket for a trip into space.

这对中国航天部门来说也是个好消息，因为这表明中国有足够的信心将战斗机飞行员以外的人送入太空。这意味着太空旅行的门槛正在降低，有一天更多普通人也有希望能买到一张太空旅行的票。

Besides Gui, there is also Zhu Yangzhu, a space flight engineer from China's astronaut team, who will serve as a professional rather than a pilot. Zhu's teaching experience in college, similar to that of Gui, is also evidence of Chinese astronauts' educational background being raised.

除了桂海潮，还有来自航天员大队的航天飞行工程师朱杨柱，他将担任专家一职而非驾驶员。朱杨柱的大学教学经历与桂海潮相似，他也是中国航天员学历越来越高的佐证。

Twenty years after Shenzhou V took China's first astronaut Yang Liwei out of the Earth's atmosphere, China already has a full team of astronauts ready to further our understanding of the cosmos.

在神舟五号将中国第一位航天员杨利伟送进太空二十年后，中国已经拥有一支完整的航天员队伍，准备进一步加深对宇宙的了解。

Mission commander Jing Haipeng is on his fourth trip into space, making him the Chinese astronaut with the richest experience in space travel. In the 15 years between his first mission and this one, China has progressed from sending astronauts into space to supporting their stay for half a year on its newly constructed space station.

指令长景海鹏第四次进入太空，他成为中国太空旅行经验最丰富的航天员。景海鹏第一次执行任务时，中国从将航天员送入太空，15年后景海鹏执行神舟十六号任务时，中国已经发展到可以支持航天员在新建的空间站停留半年。

The country has already started preparing for a mission to land Chinese astronauts on the moon before 2030.

中国已经开始准备在2030年之前将中国航天员送上月球。

China's Tiangong space station will be the only one in service after the planned retirement of the International Space Station. With China's space program including the training of astronauts from other countries, no one should be surprised if a multinational crew is sent to Tiangong some day.

中国的天宫空间站将是国际空间站计划退役后唯一在役的空间站。由于中国的太空计划包括培训其他国家的航天员，所以如果有一天将多国航天员送往天宫空间站，也没有人会感到惊讶。

Likewise China has said that its plan to construct and operate a lunar research station is open to the participation of all nations, international organizations and international partners.

同样，中国表示，其建设和运营国际月球科研站的计划面向所有感兴趣的国家、国际组织和国际伙伴开放。

Launch

英/lɔːntʃ/ 美/lɔːntʃ/

n.（航天器的）发射

Astronautics

英/ˌæstrəˈnɔːtɪks/ 美/ˌæstrəˈnɔːtɪks/

n.航天学