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technology
kē jì
科技
·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
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)
V3
V3
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)
V3
V3
version
bǎnběn
版本
to be equipped with / to carry
dāzài
搭载
(completion particle)
le
了
comprehensive / full
quánmiàn
全面
upgraded / to upgrade
shēngjí
升级
(attributive particle)
de
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)
de
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
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)
de
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)
V3
V3
version
bǎnběn
版本
rocket
huǒjiàn
火箭
(attributive particle)
de
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)
V3
V3
to be equipped with / to carry
dāzài
搭载
(completion particle)
le
了
fully / comprehensively
quánmiàn
全面
re- / anew
chóngxīn
重新
designed / to design
shèjì
设计
(attributive particle)
de
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)
le
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)
de
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
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)
de
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)
V3
V3
maiden flight
shǒufēi
首飞
to achieve / to obtain
huòdé
获得
success / successful
chénggōng
成功
。

New Words

SpaceX
SpaceX
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
NASA
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.

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Zhongguó
中国
AI
réngong zhìnéng
人工智能
models
móxíng
模型
captures
zhànlǐng
占领
market
shìchǎng
市场

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Yōubìxuǎn
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U1
U1
U1
humanoid robot
rénxíng jīqìrén
人形机器人
launches
fābuō
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price
jiàgé
价格

UBTech Launches U1 Ultra-Bionic Humanoid Robot Series Starting at 17600 Dollars

Apple (company)
Píngguǒ
苹果
to file a lawsuit / to sue
qǐsù
起诉
OpenAI (AI company)
OpenAI
OpenAI
，
to accuse / to charge
zhǐkòng
指控
it / the company (formal)
qí
其
to steal / to misappropriate
qièqǔ
窃取
hardware
yìngjiàn
硬件
trade secrets / confidential business information
shāngyè jīmì
商业机密
。

Apple Sues OpenAI Alleging Hardware Trade Secret Theft

Tencent (tech company)
Téngxùn
腾讯
in
zài
在
WeChat (messaging app)
Wēixìn
微信
to launch / roll out
tuīchū
推出
artificial intelligence
réngōng zhìnéng
人工智能
assistant
zhùshǒu
助手
Xiaowei (AI assistant name)
Xiǎowēi
小微
。

Tencent Begins Rolling Out AI Agent Xiaowei to WeChat Users