The China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT) at China Aerospace¹ and Technology Corp is collaborating² with major domestic institutions to co-develop reusable launch vehicles, scheduled to undertake maiden³ flights by around 2020.

中国航天科技集团公司旗下的中国运载火箭技术研究院，正联手国内主要机构共同研制可重复使用运载器，并计划于2020年左右进行首飞。

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.

其目标是能将有效载荷的运输成本降至现有一次性运载火箭的1/10，大幅缩短发射准备时间，能像喷气式客机一样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 solely⁴ on inbuilt power systems, and can be used repeatedly for launch missions.

该研究院高级研究员陈洪波称，可重复使用运载器仅靠自身动力系统，便可携带人员或有效载荷进入预定轨道并返回地球，还可重复用于发射任务。

Reusable launch vehicles under research will have the characteristics of both spacecraft⁵ and aircraft. China is making improvements on current rocket engines to make them reusable.

正在研究的可重复使用运载器将兼具航天器和飞机的特点。我国正在对现有的火箭引擎进行改进，以使其可重复使用。

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.

陈洪波表示，这种新型运载器主要是为到达距地约300-500公里的轨道设计的，可满足未来“快速、可靠、廉价”的发射需求，包括为我国空间站运输人员、物资。

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，该运载器也能满足军民两用的有效载荷发射需求，还能促进太空旅游等新型民用产业的发展。