·HSK 3

Elon Musk
Mǎsīkè
马斯克
to announce / to declare
xuānbù
宣布
Starship (SpaceX rocket)
xīngjiàn
星舰
V3 (third version of the rocket)
V3
V3
maiden flight / first test flight
shǒufēi
首飞
to delay / to postpone
tuīchí
推迟
，
expected to / projected to
yùjì
预计
May
wǔyuè
五月
to launch / to fire
fāshè
发射
。

April 3rd (the date)

sì yuè sān rì

四月三日

，

SpaceX (space company)

SpaceX

chief executive officer / CEO

shǒuxí zhíxíng guān

首席执行官

Elon Musk

Mǎsīkè

马斯克

to announce / to declare

xuānbù

宣布

，

Starship

xīngjiàn

星舰

V3 (version 3)

for the first time / maiden

shǒucì

首次

flight

fēixíng

飞行

test / testing

cèshì

测试

will (future marker)

jiāng

将

to delay / to postpone

tuīchí

推迟

four to six weeks

sì zhì liù zhōu

四至六周

，

expected to

yùjì

预计

in / during

zài

在

early May

wǔ yuè chū

五月初

to carry out / to take place

jìnxíng

进行

。

V3 (version 3)

version

bǎnběn

版本

to be equipped with / to carry

dāzài

搭载

(completion particle)

了

comprehensive / full

quánmiàn

全面

upgraded / to upgrade

shēngjí

升级

(attributive particle)

的

Raptor 3 (engine model)

Měngqín sān

猛禽3

engine / motor

fādòng jī

发动机

，

expected to / with hope of

yǒuwàng

有望

significantly / by a large margin

dàfú

大幅

to improve / to increase

tíshēng

提升

rocket

huǒjiàn

火箭

(attributive particle)

的

payload / load capacity

zàihé

载荷

capability / capacity

nénglì

能力

and

hé

和

reliability

kěkàoxìng

可靠性

。

April 4, 2026 at 6:00 AM

SpaceX (space company)

SpaceX

originally planned

yuán jìhuà

原计划

in / during

zài

在

April

sìyuè

四月

to carry out / to conduct

jìnxíng

进行

latest / newest

zuìxīn

最新

version

bǎn

版

Starship

xīngjiàn

星舰

(attributive particle)

的

first time / maiden

shǒucì

首次

test

cèshì

测试

flight

fēixíng

飞行

。

April 3rd

sì yuè sān rì

四月三日

，

Elon Musk

Mǎsīkè

马斯克

on / at

zài

在

social media

shèjiāo méitǐ

社交媒体

on / (post-position)

shàng

上

to announce

xuānbù

宣布

，

flight

fēixíng

飞行

time / schedule

shíjiān

时间

will

jiāng

将

to delay / to postpone

tuīchí

推迟

approximately / about

yuē

约

four to six weeks

sì dào liù zhōu

四到六周

。

Elon Musk

Mǎsīkè

马斯克

to state / to indicate

biǎoshì

表示

，

this time

zhècì

这次

delay / postponement

tuīchí

推迟

is / to be

shì

是

in order to / for the purpose of

wèile

为了

to complete / to finish

wánchéng

完成

V3 (version 3)

version

bǎnběn

版本

rocket

huǒjiàn

火箭

(attributive particle)

的

multiple / several

duō xiàng

多项

important

zhòngyào

重要

upgrade

shēngjí

升级

。

new version

xīn bǎn

新版

Starship

xīngjiàn

星舰

V3 (version 3)

to be equipped with / to carry

dāzài

搭载

(completion particle)

了

fully / comprehensively

quánmiàn

全面

re- / anew

chóngxīn

重新

designed / to design

shèjì

设计

(attributive particle)

的

Raptor 3 (engine model)

Měngqín sān

猛禽3

engine / motor

fādòng jī

发动机

。

Raptor 3 (engine model)

Měngqín sān

猛禽3

engine / motor

fādòng jī

发动机

thrust

tuīlì

推力

even more / further

gèng

更

large / powerful

dà

大

，

weight

zhòngliàng

重量

even more / further

gèng

更

light (in weight)

qīng

轻

，

manufacturing cost

zhìzào chéngběn

制造成本

also / too

yě

也

noticeably / significantly

míngxiǎn

明显

to decrease / to lower

jiànglī

降低

。

engineer

gōngchéngshī

工程师

(plural suffix)

men

们

to / on

duì

对

rocket

huǒjiàn

火箭

to carry out / to conduct

jìnxíng

进行

(completion particle)

了

dozens of items

jǐ shí xiàng

几十项

technical / technology

jìshù

技术

improvement / to improve

gǎijìn

改进

，

aimed at / with the goal of

zhǐzài

旨在

to improve / to raise

tígāo

提高

reliability

kěkàoxìng

可靠性

and

hé

和

safety / security

ānquánxìng

安全性

。

upgrade / upgraded

shēngjí

升级

after / following

hòu

后

(attributive particle)

的

Starship

xīngjiàn

星舰

expected to / with hope of

yǒuwàng

有望

will

jiāng

将

carrying capacity / payload capacity

yùnzài nénglì

运载能力

to raise / to increase

tíshēng

提升

to / up to

zhì

至

approximately

yuē

约

each time / per mission

měicì

每次

200 metric tons

èr bǎi dūn

二百吨

。

this

zhè

这

for / toward

duì

对

NASA (space agency)

NASA

Artemis (NASA lunar program)

Ā ěr tè mí sī

阿尔忒弥斯

to land on the moon / lunar landing

dēng yuè

登月

mission / task

rènwù

任务

(attributive particle)

的

advancement / to advance

tuījìn

推进

to have / to hold

jùyǒu

具有

major / significant

zhòngdà

重大

significance / meaning

yìyì

意义

。

analyst / commentator

fēnxī rénshì

分析人士

to believe / to consider

rènwéi

认为

，

appropriate / reasonable

shìdàng

适当

delay / postponement

tuīchí

推迟

helpful for / conducive to

yǒu zhù yú

有助于

to ensure / to guarantee

quèbǎo

确保

Starship

xīngjiàn

星舰

V3 (version 3)

maiden flight

shǒufēi

首飞

to achieve / to obtain

huòdé

获得

success / successful

chénggōng

成功

。

New Words

SpaceX

xīngjiàn

星舰

Starship

cèshì

测试

test

fēixíng

飞行

flight

tuīchí

推迟

to postpone

fādòng jī

发动机

engine

huǒjiàn

火箭

rocket

NASA

dēng yuè

登月

moon landing

News in English

Science & Technology

SpaceX Delays Starship V3 First Flight to May as Engineers Finalize Upgrades

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk announced on April 3 that the maiden test flight of the upgraded Starship V3 rocket has been pushed back four to six weeks to May 2026 while engineers complete dozens of improvements.

SpaceX originally planned to conduct the latest version Starship first test flight in April. On April 3, Elon Musk announced on social media that flight time will be postponed approximately four to six weeks. Musk stated this postponement is to complete V3 version rocket multiple important upgrades. The new Starship V3 is equipped with fully redesigned Raptor 3 engines. Raptor 3 engines have even greater thrust, lighter weight, and obviously lower manufacturing costs. Engineers conducted dozens of technical improvements to the rocket, aimed at improving reliability and safety. The upgraded Starship is expected to increase payload capacity to approximately 200 tons per mission. This has major significance for NASA Artemis lunar landing mission advancement. Analysts believe appropriate postponement helps ensure Starship V3 maiden flight success.

New Words

News in English

SpaceX Delays Starship V3 First Flight to May as Engineers Finalize Upgrades

More in Science & Technology

Honor
róngyao
荣耀
launches
tuīchū
推出
robot
jīqìrén
机器人
smartphone
shǒujī
手机
equipped with
pèizhì
配置
motorized
diàndòng
电动
gimbal
yúntái
云台
camera
shèxiàngtou
摄像头
。

domestically produced
guóchǎn
国产
chip
xīnpiàn
芯片
CXMT memory chipmaker
CXMT
CXMT
surge
biāoshēng
飙升
500 percent
wǔbǎi percent
500%
become
chéng
成
domestic
guónèi
国内
market value
shìzhí
市值
highest
zuìgāo
最高
stock
gǔpiào
股票
。

global / worldwide
quánqiú
全球
semiconductor
bàndǎotǐ
半导体
second quarter / Q2
dì-èr jìdù
第二季度
sales revenue
xiāoshòué
销售额
to set (a record)
chuàng
创
all-time record high
lìshǐ xīngāo
历史新高
。

New Words

News in English

SpaceX Delays Starship V3 First Flight to May as Engineers Finalize Upgrades

More in Science & Technology

Honorróngyao荣耀launchestuīchū推出robotjīqìrén机器人smartphoneshǒujī手机equipped withpèizhì配置motorizeddiàndòng电动gimbalyúntái云台camerashèxiàngtou摄像头。

domestically producedguóchǎn国产chipxīnpiàn芯片CXMT memory chipmakerCXMTCXMTsurgebiāoshēng飙升500 percentwǔbǎi percent500%becomechéng成domesticguónèi国内market valueshìzhí市值highestzuìgāo最高stockgǔpiào股票。

global / worldwidequánqiú全球semiconductorbàndǎotǐ半导体second quarter / Q2dì-èr jìdù第二季度sales revenuexiāoshòué销售额to set (a record)chuàng创all-time record highlìshǐ xīngāo历史新高。

Honor
róngyao
荣耀
launches
tuīchū
推出
robot
jīqìrén
机器人
smartphone
shǒujī
手机
equipped with
pèizhì
配置
motorized
diàndòng
电动
gimbal
yúntái
云台
camera
shèxiàngtou
摄像头
。

domestically produced
guóchǎn
国产
chip
xīnpiàn
芯片
CXMT memory chipmaker
CXMT
CXMT
surge
biāoshēng
飙升
500 percent
wǔbǎi percent
500%
become
chéng
成
domestic
guónèi
国内
market value
shìzhí
市值
highest
zuìgāo
最高
stock
gǔpiào
股票
。

global / worldwide
quánqiú
全球
semiconductor
bàndǎotǐ
半导体
second quarter / Q2
dì-èr jìdù
第二季度
sales revenue
xiāoshòué
销售额
to set (a record)
chuàng
创
all-time record high
lìshǐ xīngāo
历史新高
。