中国表示已经成功发射了该国计划于2022年底建成的新空间站的第一个模块。
State media reported the module was carried to space Thursday by a Long March 5B rocket. It was built to house Chinese astronauts during stays of up to six months.
中国官方媒体报道称，该模块周四由长征5B火箭送入太空。它的建造是为了给中国航天员在最长达6个月的太空停留期间提供容身之地。
The module is called Tianhe, which means "Harmony of the Heavens" in Chinese. It is one of three main parts China plans to use to build its first self-developed, permanent space station.
这个模块被称为“天和”，意思是天上的和声。这是中国计划用于建造其首个自主开发的永久空间站的三大核心部件之一。
Chinese officials have said 11 space missions will be necessary to complete the space station, which will orbit Earth at an altitude of 340 to 450 kilometers.
中国官员表示，完成空间站的建设将需要11次太空任务，该空间站将在340到450公里的高度绕地球运行。
China's President Xi Jinping praised the launch as "an important pilot project in the building of a powerful nation in both technology and in space," state media reported.
官方媒体报道称，中国国家主席习近平称赞此次发射“是建设科技强国、航天强国的重要引领性工程。”
China aims to become a major space power by 2030. It has been expanding its space program in recent years, with successful crewless missions to the moon and Mars.
中国的目标是在2030年成为太空强国。中国近年来成功完成了对月球和火星的非载人航天任务，拓展了其太空计划。
In December, China landed its third spacecraft on the moon and said the vehicle successfully collected material from the lunar surface. The country also has a spacecraft orbiting Mars that is expected to land on the planet around the middle of next month.
去年12月，中国第三架航天器登陆月球，并称其成功从月球表面收集到物质。中国还有一架环火星航天器预计将于下月中旬登陆火星。
Currently, the only other space station in service is the International Space Station (ISS). It is backed by the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan and Canada. China was banned from taking part in ISS operations by the United States.
国际空间站是目前唯一处于服役状态的空间站。它得到了美国、俄罗斯、欧洲、日本和加拿大的支持。美国禁止中国参与国际空间站运作。
Future of ISS unclear
国际空间站前途未卜
The future of the aging ISS is currently unclear. The project is set to end in 2024 unless its international partners approve new financing to keep it going.
不断老化的国际空间站现在的前途未卜。该项目原定于2024年结束，除非其国际合作伙伴批准新的融资维持其继续下去。
NASA officials have signaled that a continuation of the ISS beyond 2024 is likely. But its other main supporter, Russia, has said it is considering quitting the project as early as 2025 to build its own space station.
美国宇航局官员已经暗示国际空间站在2024年后可能会继续使用。但是国际空间站另一家主要支持者俄罗斯表示正考虑最早于2025年退出该项目，以建造自己的空间站。
Earlier this month, the head of Russia's space agency, Dmitry Rogozin, told the state-run Interfax news agency the country had been making plans to build its own space station. He added that the project would aim to launch into orbit by 2030 if Russian President Vladimir Putin approved the plan.
本月初，俄罗斯航天局局长德米特里·罗戈津对俄罗斯国际文传电讯社表示，俄罗斯一直在计划建造自己的空间站。他还表示，如果获得俄罗斯总统普京批准，该项目将在2030年前进入轨道。
A new Russian space station would bring an end to more than 20 years of close cooperation between Russia and the United States. Russian cosmonauts have worked on the ISS with astronauts from the U.S. and 16 other countries since 1998.
俄罗斯新空间站将意味着俄罗斯和美国之间20多年密切合作的结束。自1998年以来，俄罗斯宇航员同美国以及其它16个国家的宇航员一起在国际空间站上工作。
Space has been one of the closest fields of cooperation between Russia and the U.S. Relations between the nations have worsened in recent years over human rights, cyberattacks and other issues.
太空一直是俄罗斯和美国之间最紧密合作的领域之一。近年来由于人权、网络攻击等问题，两国之间的关系有所恶化。
Rogozin said Russia would be willing to consider permitting foreign crews to visit a new space station, but added, "the station must be national... If you want to do well, do it yourself."
罗戈津表示，俄罗斯愿意考虑允许外国宇航员访问新空间站，但是他补充说：“空间站必须是国有的。如果你想做好，就得自己做。”
I'm Bryan Lynn.
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