Roughly 300 miles above our heads, three washing machine-sized capsule(太空舱)s are orbiting the Earth. Inside one of them, tiny crystals of a potential cancer drug are being grown in the weightlessness(失重状态) of space. The others are testing heat protection materials and navigation systems for when the capsules plunge back through Earth’s atmosphere at hypersonic speeds.(另外两个太空舱正在测试隔热材料和导航系统，为太空舱以高超音速重返地球大气层做准备。) Together, they represent a small but significant step towards what some hope will become a lucrative(利润丰厚的) new industry: manufacturing drugs and other materials in space.
在我们头顶大约300英里的地方，三个洗衣机大小的太空舱正环绕地球飞行。其中一个太空舱内，一种潜在抗癌药物的微小晶体正在太空的失重环境中生长。另外两个则在测试隔热材料和导航系统，为太空舱以高超音速重返地球大气层做准备。它们共同代表着一个虽小却意义重大的进步，朝着一些人希望会成为一个利润丰厚的新产业迈进：在太空制造药物和其他材料。
The spacecraft belong to California-based Varda Space Industries. On 1 October, it launched two onboard the same rocket, followed by the third on 20 October. With a record three spacecraft now simultaneously in orbit for the first time, the company is edging closer to its ambition of operating a fleet of orbiting pharmaceutical factories.(随着三艘航天器首次同时入轨、创下纪录，该公司距离运营一支轨道制药工厂舰队的雄心又近了一步。)
这些航天器属于总部位于加州的Varda Space Industries公司。10月1日，该公司用同一枚火箭发射了其中两个，10月20日又发射了第三个。如今，三艘航天器首次同时入轨，创下纪录，该公司距离运营一支轨道制药工厂舰队的雄心又近了一步。
“We’re the first company in human history to launch multiple commercial re-entry(重返大气层) vehicles simultaneously, and as the frequency(频率) of launches increases, the once ‘crazy future(疯狂未来（指看似不切实际的设想）)’ of manufacturing products in space is becoming more and more certain,” said Will Bruey, Varda’s chief executive.
“我们是人类历史上第一家同时发射多个商业返回式飞行器的公司。随着发射频率增加，曾经被视为‘疯狂未来’的太空产品制造正变得越来越确定。”Varda首席执行官威尔·布鲁伊说道。