我國研製可重複使用航天運載器 預計2020年首飛

The China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT) at China Aerospace and Technology Corp is collaborating with major domestic institutions to co-develop reusable launch vehicles, scheduled to undertake maiden flights by around 2020.

中國航天科技集團公司旗下的中國運載火箭技術研究院，正聯手國內主要機構共同研製可重複使用運載器，並計劃於2020年左右進行首飛。

The goal is to reduce the cost of carrying payloads to just one-tenth of existing expendable launch vehicles, significantly shortening preparation time for a launch and complete trips from ground to space and back, just like jetliners.

其目標是能將有效載荷的運輸成本降至現有一次性運載火箭的1/10，大幅縮短髮射準備時間，能像噴氣式客機一樣完成天地往返的行程。

According to Chen Hongbo, a senior researcher at CALT, reusable launch vehicles are able to carry men or payloads to their designated orbits and return to Earth relying solely on inbuilt power systems, and can be used repeatedly for launch missions.

該研究院高級研究員陳洪波稱，可重複使用運載器僅靠自身動力系統，便可攜帶人員或有效載荷進入預定軌道並返回地球，還可重複用於發射任務。

Reusable launch vehicles under research will have the characteristics of both spacecraft and aircraft. China is making improvements on current rocket engines to make them reusable.

正在研究的可重複使用運載器將兼具航天器和飛機的特點。我國正在對現有的火箭引擎進行改進，以使其可重複使用。

Chen said the new launch vehicle is designed mainly to reach orbits of about 300-500 km above Earth's surface, and can meet the need for "fast, reliable and inexpensive" launches in future, including carrying personnel for China's space station, as well as materials.

陳洪波表示，這種新型運載器主要是爲到達距地約300-500公里的軌道設計的，可滿足未來“快速、可靠、廉價”的發射需求，包括爲我國空間站運輸人員、物資。

In addition, it can meet the needs for launching payloads for both military and civil use, and facilitate the development of new civil industries, such as space tourism.

此外，該運載器也能滿足軍民兩用的有效載荷發射需求，還能促進太空旅遊等新型民用產業的發展。