中国调动多颗卫星参与失联客机搜救

China is bringing its rapidly expanding satellite surveillance capabilities to bear in the effort to find out what happened to Malaysian Airlines flight 370 as the search stretches into its fourth day with virtually no clarity on where the jet might be.

针对马来西亚航空(Malaysian Airlines)失联客机的搜救工作已持续至第四天，但目前仍然毫无头绪。与此同时，中国也正在动用该国快速发展的卫星监视系统参与搜救。

Chinese authorities adjusted the operations of 10 high-resolution satellites to offer search and rescue teams assistance in weather monitoring, communications and other areas, according to a report posted to the official Chinese military news website on Tuesday.

据中国军网周二的报道，中国政府调动了10颗高分辨率卫星，在气象监控、通讯以及其他领域向搜救队伍提供援助。

The country has moved to greatly expand its satellite-based surveillance system in recent years, including the launch last year of a high-definition Earth observation satellite called the Gaofen-1. It has also continued to build out Beidou, a homegrown satellite-based navigation network designed in part to give the People's Liberation Army an alternative to the U.S.-controlled Global Positioning System.

近些年来，中国大力发展了以卫星为基础的监控系统，其中包括去年发射的高分辨率的对地观测卫星高分一号。中国还在继续开发自主发展的北斗卫星导航系统，这套系统设计的部分目的在于使得中国人民解放军可以在美国开发的全球定位系统(Global Positioning System)以外还有另一个选择。

China conducted 18 space launches carrying 24 satellites in 2012, according to the most recent U.S. Department of Defense report on China's military developments ( pdf). That's up from 11 launches and 15 satellites in 2008 ( pdf).

根据美国国防部关于中国军事发展的最新报告，中国在2012年共进行了18次太空发射，运载卫星数量为24颗。与之相比，2008年时太空发射次数为11次，运载卫星15颗。

Analysts say the Chinese satellites aren't as powerful as top-end satellites deployed by the U.S. but have nevertheless greatly improved the country's surveillance and positioning capabilities. It isn't clear from Tuesday's report which satellites China has devoted to the search effort.

分析师称，和美国部署的顶尖卫星相比，中国的卫星没有那么强大，但也极大地提升了中国的监控和定位实力。根据周二的报道目前还不清楚中国已经将那些卫星用于失联飞机的搜寻任务。

Separately, China's foreign ministry said at a regular news briefing that two Chinese ships were scheduled to arrive in the search zone Tuesday, with another two likely to arrive Wednesday.

此外，中国外交部在例行新闻发布会上称，两艘中国舰只将于周二晚些时候抵达搜救区，另外两艘或将于周三抵达。

'There will be altogether eight Chinese vessels involved in the search-and-rescue mission, including Chinese government, coast guard and naval vessels,' ministry spokesman Qin Gang said.

外交部发言人秦刚称，届时一共会有八艘中国舰只参加搜救行动，其中包括公务船只、海警船只以及中国海军军舰。

Family members of Chinese passengers, who made up the majority of people aboard the Boeing 777-200 when it disappeared, earlier this week circulated a handwritten petition demanding China's foreign ministry show 'strong concern and resolve' in the search for answers about the plane.

失联的波音777-200飞机上的中国乘客的家属本周早些时候手写了一份请愿书，要求中国外交部对此事予以高度关注并加以解决。失联飞机上的乘客大部分为中国籍。