China's Space Program News Thread

[Engineer]

another example is the word robust being transliterated to "鲁棒" (what hell is that) instead of existing word "可靠性".

Could only be reliability.

 

[taxiya]

I think you misunderstood that. The 2018 paper "火星采样返回任务轨道方案初步设计" published in 2019 considered both single and twin launches without preference to the single launch. In publicly shown PPTs, it was always the two launch option. So I'd say that the intended profile is always two launches, with the single launch option being considered, but not bet on.

The single launch profile required a mars transfer orbit (MTO) capability of 12 to 16 tonnes which is much lower than CZ-9's MTO somewhere around 30t considering its LTO is greater than 50t.

The only thing in that paper that may be interpreted to imply CZ-9 is the usage of the word "重型" (Heavy Lift). In Chinese definition that can only be CZ-9. However, the capability does not match. So it is possible that the author used the word in a not strict sense but an American definition. This "confusing" practice is not uncommon in recent years, for example lots of younger Chinese authors in their science paper use the word "透平" (Transliteration of Turbine) instead of decades old translation of "涡轮", another example is the word robust being transliterated to "鲁棒" (what hell is that) instead of existing word "可靠性".

After another thought, the "heavy lift" may be the single stick CZ-9A whose LTO is 25t, translated MTO being 15t that fits well. Long Lehao proposed the test launch of CZ-9 being the single stick (sub unit test) some years ago although saying that CZ-9A may not be officially designated depending of if there is use case for it.

 

[taxiya]

Could only be reliability.

I know the meaning. I complained that people do not use Chinese word with accurate meaning, but use meaningless transliteration as some sort of fashion.

 

[Engineer]

I know the meaning. I complained that people do not use Chinese word with accurate meaning, but use meaningless transliteration as some sort of fashion.

It could be part of OpSec though, much like what is typically done on Chinese forums with made-up terminologies to just about anything.

 

[weig2000]

I think you misunderstood that. The 2018 paper "火星采样返回任务轨道方案初步设计" published in 2019 considered both single and twin launches without preference to the single launch. In publicly shown PPTs, it was always the two launch option. So I'd say that the intended profile is always two launches, with the single launch option being considered, but not bet on.

The single launch profile required a mars transfer orbit (MTO) capability of 12 to 16 tonnes which is much lower than CZ-9's MTO somewhere around 30t considering its LTO is greater than 50t.

The only thing in that paper that may be interpreted to imply CZ-9 is the usage of the word "重型" (Heavy Lift). In Chinese definition that can only be CZ-9. However, the capability does not match. So it is possible that the author used the word in a not strict sense but an American definition. This "confusing" practice is not uncommon in recent years, for example lots of younger Chinese authors in their science paper use the word "透平" (Transliteration of Turbine) instead of decades old translation of "涡轮", another example is the word robust being transliterated to "鲁棒" (what hell is that) instead of existing word "可靠性".

Could only be reliability.

No, not reliability. It's actually the transliteration of robustness. There is indeed no Chinese word with the precise meaning.

 

[Richard Santos]

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Mars sample return mission confirmed in 2028. Asteroid sample return/comet exploration around 2025 and Jupiter exploration+interplanetary exploration mission in 2025. CCP has already given approval and funding for these projects!

is the jupiter exploration mission a jupiter orbiter or a fly by?

 

[taxiya]

No, not reliability. It's actually the transliteration of robustness. There is indeed no Chinese word with the precise meaning.

There is though. 健壮，强健 are perfect translation of robustness.

Robustness means "the quality of being strong, and healthy or unlikely to break or fail" in Cambridge dictionary. It is only introduced into engineering and science recently, so it is nothing new.

The bottom line is that Chinese together with Greek and Latin are the kind of root languages that are so well developed in their early age more than two thousands years ago that there is nothing new can be invented nor any new thing that can not be properly described with new compound word based on root word from them. The only reason for transliteration is the laziness and linguistic deficiency of the "inventor".

Example of good linguistic competence:

1. Telephone, Anglo-Greko word. Tele (remote) and Phone (sound) are both Greek words. Telephone is created by a British to represent a new thing. Essentially it is still a Greek word with accurate meaning.
2. Hydrophone, Anglo-(Latin-Greko) word.
3. 自动车, Sino-Japanese word created by Japanese in early 1900s to translate auto-mobile precisely.
4. 激光, Chinese word meaning "excited light emission", that is laser. It was created by Qian Xuesen in 1964. Qian was a great scientist born to a family of proficient classic Chinese literacy.

 

[siegecrossbow]

is the jupiter exploration mission a jupiter orbiter or a fly by?

Orbiter of a moon of Jupiter.

 

[semiconprof]

There is though. 健壮，强健 are perfect translation of robustness.

Robustness means "the quality of being strong, and healthy or unlikely to break or fail" in Cambridge dictionary. It is only introduced into engineering and science recently, so it is nothing new.

I would translate "robustness" as 健全。

 

[longmarch]

I would translate "robustness" as 健全。

Should be just 健壮性。
鲁棒性is actually being used in many papers, but it's really a poor translation, a pollution to Chinese language.