美国国家航天局（NASA）的罗曼空间望远镜：猎鹰重型运载火箭上面级接管任务

美国国家航天局（NASA）的罗曼空间望远镜：猎鹰重型运载火箭上面级接管任务

NASA’s Roman Space Telescope: Falcon Heavy Upper Stage Takes Over

搭载NASA的南希·格雷丝·罗曼空间望远镜（Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope）的SpaceX猎鹰重型运载火箭（Falcon Heavy）已完成了一系列快速上升阶段的里程碑。

The SpaceX Falcon Heavy carrying NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope has completed a rapid series of ascent milestones.

中心芯级达到了磁层永坍缩体（MECO），几秒钟后，第一级和第二级分离。发射约四分钟后，第二级的梅林真空发动机（Merlin Vacuum engine）点火，进行了第一次上面级发动机启动（SES-1）。

The center core reached main engine cutoff, or MECO, and seconds later the first and second stages separated. The second stage’s Merlin Vacuum engine ignited for the first second-stage engine start, or SES-1, about four minutes after launch.

此后不久，猎鹰重型运载火箭的整流罩分离成两半并返回地球（Earth）。整流罩在飞行过程中稠密的低层大气（lower atmosphere）部分保护了罗曼空间望远镜，在火箭到达空气稀薄区域后便不再需要。

Shortly after that, the Falcon Heavy’s fairing separated into two halves and returned to Earth. The fairing protected Roman during the dense lower-atmosphere portion of flight and was no longer needed after the rocket reached thinner air.

任务控制人员计划通过NASA的跟踪和数据传输卫星系统（tracking and data-relay satellite system）获取来自该天文台的信号。

Mission controllers plan to acquire a signal from the observatory through NASA’s Tracking and Data Relay Satellite system.

猎鹰重型运载火箭的两个侧助推器完成了返回佛罗里达州的飞行，分别降落在着陆区2（Landing Zone 2）和着陆区40（Landing Zone 40）。其中一个侧助推器完成了其首次飞行。另一个侧助推器在之前支持了环境应用静地卫星（GOES）-U和Viasat-3 F3任务后，完成了其第三次飞行。

Falcon Heavy’s two side boosters completed their returns toward Florida, landing at Landing Zone 2 and Landing Zone 40. One side booster completed its first flight. The other completed its third flight after previously supporting the GOES-U and Viasat-3 F3 missions.

罗曼空间望远镜仍与猎鹰重型运载火箭的第二级相连，发动机持续燃烧。

Roman remains attached to Falcon Heavy’s second stage, and the engine continues to burn.