China may be the only country to have a space station in service by 2024 when the International Space Station retires, said Lei Fanpei, chairman of China Aerospace¹ Science and Technology Corp.

中国航天科技集团董事长雷凡培日前表示，到2024年国际空间站退役时，中国可能成为唯一拥有服役空间站的国家。

Lei said that China plans to launch the experimental core module² of its space station around 2018, and the 20 ton combination space station will be sent into orbit around 2022.

雷凡培称，我国计划在2018年前后发射空间站试验性核心舱，2022年前后发射20吨级的组合式空间站。

China's space station will include a core module and two lab modules³, with ports that will allow multiple spacecraft⁴ to dock, according to Lei.

据雷凡培表示，我国空间站将包括一个核心舱和两个实验舱，有多个交会对接口，能实现多飞行器同时对接。

After that, a manned spacecraft and cargo⁵ spacecraft will travel between the space station and the Earth to provide supplies.

此后，载人飞船、货运飞船将在空间站和地球之间往返、进行补给。

The space station has a designed life of 10 years in orbit 400 km above the earth surface. Astronauts can stay at the space station for over one year.

我国空间站的设计寿命为10年，在距地面400公里的轨道上运行。航天员可在空间站驻留1年以上。

With this space station, China will become the second country after Russia to have developed a space station, Lei said.

届时，中国将成为继俄罗斯之后第2个完成空间站建设的国家。

China in 1992 made a three-step strategy for its manned space program, the large-scale manned space station being the last step.

中国于1992年为载人航天计划提出了三步走战略，大型载人空间站是其中的最后一步。

In the middle of October, the Shenzhou-11 spacecraft will transport two taikonauts to Tiangong-2. They will stay there for 30 days.

在今年10月中旬，神舟11号飞船将会把两位两位航天员运输到天宫二号，他们将在那里驻留30天。