第3032期:Private space stations

The International Space Station is nearing the end of its life.International Space Station正逐渐接近其使用寿命的终点。Experts suggest that 2030 will be the end, and a transition is needed.专家表示，到2030年它可能将正式退役，因此需要进行过渡和替代安排。A commercial turn for the concept of a space station is taking place because so far, it’s only been in the hands of major governments.如今，空间站的概念正在走向商业化，因为迄今为止，空间站一直主要由各国政府掌控。However, new businesses don’t emerge in all the great space hubs like Florida or Houston.然而，这些新兴企业并不一定都出现在像Florida或Houston这样的传统航天中心。Companies like Pittsburgh-based Sierra Space want to make space more accessible not only for astronauts or billionaires.像总部位于Pittsburgh的Sierra Space这样的公司，希望让太空不再只是宇航员或亿万富翁才能接触的领域。Its animation of the Orbital Reef showed what a space station would look like, with an improvement over the cramped environment of the current International Space Station.该公司展示的Orbital Reef动画，描绘了未来商业空间站的样貌，相比目前国际空间站狭小拥挤的环境有明显改善。There may be tourists and scientists who do research and want to take their projects into space.未来可能会有游客以及从事科研的科学家，把他们的项目带到太空中进行。When done in the weightlessness of space, such research could lead to making potentially better materials or improvements back on Earth, where gravity can sometimes interfere.由于太空处于失重环境，这类研究有可能帮助人类制造出更优质的材料，或改进地球上的技术，因为地球重力有时会对实验产生干扰。These could be better pharmaceuticals, semiconductor materials, plastics, composites, and other things.这些成果可能包括更先进的药物、半导体材料、塑料、复合材料以及其他产品。The company’s representatives believe that the space business could boost the area where steel manufacturing once ruled.该公司代表认为，太空产业有望带动那些曾经以钢铁制造业为主的地区重新发展经济。