波音星际飞船消息（每日外刊0530-波音）

背景知识

《联合早报》5月26日消息，在空间站停留近一个星期后，波音“星际客机”飞船于当地时间周三返回地球，在美国新墨西哥州沙漠中完整着陆。据报道，这次成功着陆为“星际客机”的关键性试飞画上句号，展示了“星际客机”飞船发射到太空、与空间站对接并最终安全返回的能力。此前，波音“星际客机”CST-100飞船于美国东部时间5月19日18:54（北京时间5月20日6:54）升空，并于美国东部时间20日20:28（北京时间5月21日8:28）与国际空间站对接。它是波音公司为美国国家航空航天局（NASA）商业载人航天发展计划研制的飞船。

波音星际飞船消息（每日外刊0530-波音）(1)

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Boeing capsule lands back on Earth after space shakedown

波音“星际客机”太空舱试飞后成功返回地球

Boeing’s crew taxi returned to Earth from the International Space Station on Wednesday, completing a repeat test flight before NASA astronauts climb aboard. It was a quick trip back: The Starliner capsule parachuted into the New Mexico desert just four hours after leaving the orbiting lab, with airbags attached to cushion the landing. Only a mannequin was buckled in.

周三，波音公司的“星际客机”从国际空间站返回地球，在美国宇航局宇航员载人任务之前完成了一次重复试飞。返程之旅非常迅速：“星际客机”在离开轨道实验室4个小时后于新墨西哥州沙漠触地，太空舱附带的安全气囊为其着陆提供了缓冲。太空舱内只有一个系上安全带的人体模型。

Aside from thruster failures and cooling system snags, Starliner appeared to clinch its high-stakes shakedown cruise, 2 1/2 years after its botched first try. Flight controllers in Houston applauded and cheered the bull’s-eye touchdown. “It’s great to have this incredible test flight behind us,” said Steve Stich, director of NASA’s commercial crew program. He described the demo as “extremely successful,” with all objectives met. Added Boeing’s Mark Nappi, a vice president: “On a scale of one to 10, I think I’d give it a 15.”

除了推进器和冷却系统故障外，星际客机似乎在首次尝试失败的两年半后，成功完成了高风险的试飞。休斯顿的飞行管制员为这次“正中靶心”的触地鼓掌欢呼。美国宇航局商业载人项目负责人史蒂夫·斯蒂克说：“这次令人难以置信的试飞真是太棒了。”他形容这次试飞“非常成功”，所有目标都达到了。波音公司副总裁马克·纳皮补充道：“如果从1到10打分，我想我会给15分。”

Based on these early results, NASA astronauts will strap in next for a trip to the space station, perhaps by year’s end. The space agency has long wanted two competing U.S. companies ferrying astronauts, for added insurance as it drastically reduced its reliance on Russia for rides to and from the space station. Elon Musk’s SpaceX is already the established leader, launching astronauts since 2020 and even tourists. Its crew capsules splash down off the Florida coast, Boeing’s Starliner returns to the Army’s expansive and desolate White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.

根据这些初步结果，美国宇航局宇航员将准备下一次登舱前往空间站，时间或在今年年底。长期以来，美国宇航局一直希望两家相互竞争的美国公司接载宇航员，以增加保险，因为它大幅减少了往返空间站对俄罗斯的依赖。埃隆·马斯克的太空探索技术公司已经是既定公认的领先者，自2020年以来接载宇航员，甚至是游客。它搭载机组人员的太空舱在佛罗里达海岸溅落，波音的“星际客机”回到了新墨西哥州陆军广阔而荒凉的白沙导弹基地。

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