New Glenn's Return to Flight Slips to January 2027
蓝色起源的旗舰火箭要等到明年 1 月才能再飞
蓝色起源把新格伦火箭复飞时间从今年年底推迟到 2027 年 1 月，原因是卡纳维拉尔角发射台重建延误（含夏季恶劣天气）。5 月热试车爆炸曾重创该发射台，而亚马逊 Leo 星座依赖其发射能力。
The delay comes from rebuilding the Cape Canaveral pad damaged when the rocket exploded in a May hot-fire test. Amazon's Leo constellation depends on the schedule too.
Blue Origin has pushed the return to flight of New Glenn to January 2027, from a target of the end of this year, after delays in rebuilding its launch pad at Cape Canaveral.
In a memo to staff on Wednesday, chief executive Dave Limp blamed the pad work, including bad weather over the summer, and described the slip as small. “Getting New Glenn back to flight remains our top priority — it is worth it,” he wrote.
The context is a bad May. New Glenn exploded during a hot-fire test, badly damaging the Florida pad, days before it was due to launch 48 satellites for Amazon's Leo internet constellation. Blue Origin repaired the site quickly and changed its configuration; Jeff Bezos said in October that the rocket would fly again in December.
By one account the new date is about ten days later than the company's internal plan — a modest slip, as these things go — but the schedule pressure is real on both sides. Blue Origin is trying to raise its launch rate to compete with SpaceX for commercial and government customers, and Amazon needs New Glenn to build out Leo.
Amazon has meanwhile leaned on United Launch Alliance and Arianespace for part of the constellation, particularly as SpaceX retires Falcon 9 in favour of testing Starship. NASA also has Blue Origin under contract for several Artemis work packages, including a lunar lander.
Last month the company announced fresh investment in its Florida facilities, with the stated aim of supporting multiple flights a week by the end of the decade. That is the number to watch: a rocket that flies twice a year is a programme, not a service.
中文翻译（全文）
蓝色起源已把新格伦火箭的复飞时间从今年年底推迟到 2027 年 1 月，原因是卡纳维拉尔角发射台的重建出现延误。
在周三发给员工的备忘录中，首席执行官戴夫·林普把延误归因于发射台工程，其中包括夏季的恶劣天气，并称这次顺延幅度不大。「让新格伦复飞仍是我们的首要任务——这值得。」他写道。
背景是一个糟糕的 5 月。新格伦在一次热试车中爆炸，严重损毁了佛罗里达的发射台——而几天后，它本该为亚马逊的 Leo 卫星互联网星座发射 48 颗卫星。蓝色起源迅速修复了场地并调整了发射台配置；杰夫·贝索斯 10 月还表示火箭将在 12 月再次飞行。
按一位知情人士的说法，新日期比公司内部计划晚了约十天——就这类事情而言算是小幅顺延——但两侧的进度压力都是真实的。蓝色起源正努力提高发射频率，以便在商业与政府客户上与 SpaceX 竞争；而亚马逊需要新格伦来铺开 Leo。
与此同时，亚马逊已把星座的部分发射任务交给了联合发射联盟和阿丽亚娜空间公司，尤其是在 SpaceX 逐步退役猎鹰 9 号、转向测试星舰的当口。NASA 也与蓝色起源签了多份「阿耳忒弥斯」合同，其中包括一份月球着陆器合同。
上个月，公司宣布对其佛罗里达设施追加投资，目标是到本十年末支持每周多次飞行。这才是该盯的数字：一年飞两次的火箭是一个项目，而不是一项服务。
重点词汇
- return to flight /rɪˈtɜːn tə flaɪt/ n. — the resumption of launches after a failure 复飞 Return to flight slipped to January.
- slip /slɪp/ n. — a small delay in a schedule （时间上的）顺延 He described the slip as small.
- hot-fire test /hɒt faɪə test/ n. — a ground test in which the engine is actually fired 热试车 It exploded during a hot-fire test.
- constellation /ˌkɒnstəˈleɪʃn/ n. — a group of satellites working together （卫星）星座 Amazon is building a satellite constellation.
- launch rate /lɔːntʃ reɪt/ n. — how often a rocket can be flown 发射频率 It is trying to raise its launch rate.
- lean on /liːn ɒn/ phrasal v. — to rely on someone for support 依靠；倚重 Amazon leaned on other providers.
- retire /rɪˈtaɪə/ v. — to stop using a vehicle or system permanently 退役 SpaceX is retiring Falcon 9.
- work package /wɜːk ˈpækɪdʒ/ n. — a defined portion of a larger contract 工作包（合同分项） NASA awarded several work packages.
- facility /fəˈsɪləti/ n. — a building or site used for a particular purpose 设施；场地 It is investing in its Florida facilities.
- programme /ˈprəʊɡræm/ n. — an organised long-term effort, as opposed to a routine service 项目；计划 A rocket that flies twice a year is a programme.
阅读测验
共 5 道题目
What was delayed?
What caused the delay?
New Glenn exploded during a hot-fire test in May, damaging the pad days before a planned satellite launch.
Who else is affected by the schedule? (Select all that apply)
Blue Origin aims to support multiple flights a _____ by the end of the decade.
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