自2016年我国首个开放性滨海航天发射基地——文昌航天发射场建成投入使用，火箭发射从大漠、深山走来，在龙楼镇与铜鼓岭、月亮湾、石头公园等热带海岛风光完美邂逅。如今，追逐火箭的人们越来越多，航天主题旅游越来越热。昔日侨乡，如今的文昌国际航天城，已成为名副其实的梦想起航之地。
In the hush of the night, a blaze of brilliance pierced the darkness, its fiery ascent thundering through the clouds.
在寂静的夜晚，一道明亮的火焰穿透了黑暗，它炽热的上升在云层中发出轰鸣。
On the sandy beaches, rooftops and balconies of high-rise residential buildings in Longlou, a quaint township in southern China, all eyes turned skyward, as the resounding rumble of the carrier rocket and the thunderous roar of the crowd swept over this town located in Wenchang City in the island province of Hainan.
在中国南方古色古香的龙楼镇的沙滩、屋顶和高层住宅的阳台上，所有的目光都转向了天空，运载火箭的隆隆声和人群的雷鸣般的咆哮席卷了这个位于海南省文昌市的小镇。
WHERE DREAMS TAKE FLIGHT
梦起飞的地方
Last week, the launch of the Long March-7 Y8 rocket, carrying the Tianzhou-7 cargo spacecraft from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site, not only illuminated the night sky but also breathed life into Longlou, where the launchpad is located.
上周，搭载天舟七号货运飞船的长征七号Y8火箭从文昌航天发射场发射升空，不仅照亮了夜空，也为发射台所在的龙楼注入了活力。
Every time a launch is scheduled, throngs of tourists embark on a journey. They fly to the provincial capital Haikou before transferring to a high-speed train bound for Wenchang and conclude the trip with a short drive of over 20 km to reach Longlou. Then, the streets here buzz with activity, with vehicles flooding in and hotels fully booked.
每次预定发射时，都会有成群结队的游客踏上旅程。他们飞往省会海口，然后换乘开往文昌的高铁，最后驱车20多公里到达龙楼。然后，这里的街道热闹非凡，车辆蜂拥而至，酒店也被预订一空。
For 29-year-old Zhang Zuoxing, an avid astrophotographer from Guangdong Province in south China, witnessing a rocket launch is not just a visual feast; it"s a multisensory experience that evokes a sense of wonder and awe.
29岁的张作兴是来自中国南方广东省的一位狂热的天文摄影师，对他来说，目睹火箭发射不仅仅是一场视觉盛宴；这是一种多感官的体验，唤起一种惊奇和敬畏的感觉。
"The rocket ascended quietly. It was a few seconds later that I heard the roaring noise. Despite the continuous cheers and screams around me, those few seconds made me feel as if I were in a vacuum. It was almost like a dream," Zhang said, recalling his first-ever experience of witnessing a rocket launch in 2020.
“火箭在宁静中升空。几秒钟后，我听到了呼啸的声音。尽管周围不断有欢呼声和尖叫声，但这几秒钟让我感觉自己像在真空中。这几乎就像一场梦，”张回忆起2020年他第一次目睹火箭发射的经历时说。
Driven by a desire to share this profound experience with more people, Zhang and his friends founded the youth travel organization "Walking at 20" in 2020. Since its inception, he has visited Wenchang 13 times to watch rocket launches.
出于与更多人分享这段深刻经历的愿望，张和他的朋友们于2020年成立了青年旅行组织“20岁时行走”。自成立以来，他已经13次到文昌观看火箭发射。
This time, Zhang was accompanied by 16 fellow travelers and they watched the Long March-7 Y8 rocket from a quiet beach. "They were very excited, and many of them had already booked the next trip with me," he said.
这一次，张在16名同行的陪同下，在一个安静的海滩上观看了长征七号Y8火箭。他说：“他们非常兴奋，其中许多人已经和我一起预订了下一次旅行。”
He has led over 300 individuals spanning various age groups to witness rocket launches. Seasonal rocket enthusiasts are driven by different motivations, Zhang said, noting that some are fueled by curiosity while others by a thirst for knowledge.
他带领300多个不同年龄段的人见证了火箭发射。张说，季节性火箭爱好者有不同的动机。他指出，有些人是出于好奇，而另一些人则是出于求知欲。
"Rocket chasing" has become an addictive pursuit for Tang Muzhi, a sophomore student studying material science at Northwest Minzu University.
对于西北民族大学材料科学专业大二学生唐牧之来说，“火箭追逐”已经成为一种令人上瘾的追求。
The recent launch of the Tianzhou-7 cargo spacecraft marked his third visit to Wenchang, with his initial experience dating back to July 2022, when he witnessed the launch of Wentian, the first lab module of China"s space station.
最近，天舟七号货运飞船的发射也是他第三次访问文昌，他的最初经历可以追溯到2022年7月，当时他目睹了中国空间站第一个实验室舱“问天”的发射。
"Seeing the massive object ascend into the sky transformed textbook descriptions into a tangible reality. At that moment, I truly understood the nation"s rapid development and felt as if I was becoming a part of the current of the times," Tang said. "I will never forget that big day."
唐说：“看到这个巨大的物体升上天空，教科书上的描述变成了现实。那一刻，我真正理解了国家的快速发展，感觉自己仿佛成为了时代潮流的一部分。”。“我永远不会忘记那重要的一天。”
Wang Jianjun, a 70-year-old tourist, makes sure to bring his grandson to the launch site for every rocket launch. "I aim to plant the seed of space dreams in my grandson"s heart. Experiencing the space launch firsthand will undoubtedly leave a more profound impression than any words I could convey to him," he said.
70岁的游客王建军每次发射火箭都会带着孙子来到发射场。他说：“我的目标是在孙子心中播下太空梦想的种子。亲身体验太空发射无疑会给他留下比我能传达给他的任何语言都更深刻的印象。”
WHAT"S BEHIND THE FRENZY
狂热的背后是什么
China has notched up an impressive series of achievements in the space industry, with important launches including the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System satellites, Chang"e lunar probes, and the Tianwen-1 Mars probe.
中国在航天事业上取得了一系列令人印象深刻的成就，包括北斗导航卫星系统卫星、嫦娥月球探测器和天问一号火星探测器等重要发射。
Before it became a part of the tourist circuit, Longlou Township was relatively obscure to the outside world, with the locals mainly engaged in agriculture and fisheries.
在成为旅游线路的一部分之前，龙楼镇对外界来说相对默默无闻，当地人主要从事农业和渔业。
The turning point came in 2016 with the opening of the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site, China"s first open coastal space launch facility. Since then, Longlou has been transformed into a vibrant hub for space enthusiasts.
转折点出现在2016年，中国第一个开放的沿海航天发射设施——文昌航天发射场启用。从那时起，龙楼已被改造成一个充满活力的航天爱好者中心。
Rocket launches have also brought fortune to locals. In the past two years alone, the town, home to 27,000 permanent residents, has received over 1.5 million visitors.
火箭发射也给当地人带来了财富。仅在过去两年，这个拥有2.7万永久居民的小镇就接待了150多万游客。
Leveraging the space launch center and coastal tourism resources, businesses have mushroomed across Longlou. The count of hotels and bed-and-breakfast (B&B) establishments surged from five to over 50, while shops multiplied from 230 to more than 900, said Ye Sheng, deputy Party secretary of Longlou.
利用航天发射中心和沿海旅游资源，龙楼各地的企业如雨后春笋般涌现。龙楼镇委副书记叶胜说，酒店和民宿的数量从5家激增到50多家，而商店则从230家增加到900多家。
Last year, Zhu Ying, who runs a local B&B, invested an additional 4 million yuan (about 556,600 U.S. dollars) to renovate 14 rooms. "Many important launch missions will be carried out in Longlou in the future, which will drive the demand for accommodation and travel services," Zhu said.
去年，经营当地一家民宿的祝影又投资了400万元人民币（约合55.66万美元）翻修了14间客房。祝说：“未来将在龙楼执行许多重要的发射任务，这将推动对住宿和旅行服务的需求。”
Xue Ce, manager of a hotel in Longlou, sustains his livelihood from the accommodation business as well by providing tourists with rooftop viewing spots. His account on Xiaohongshu, China"s lifestyle-focused social media platform, has garnered thousands of followers, attesting to the growing interest in the town"s burgeoning space-related tourism.
龙楼一家酒店的经理薛策靠住宿业维持生计，还为游客提供屋顶观景点。他在中国专注于生活方式的社交媒体平台小红书上的账号已经获得了数千名粉丝，这证明了人们对该镇蓬勃发展的太空旅游越来越感兴趣。
"Whenever the launch dates are announced, my rooms quickly get fully booked," Xue said, adding that several guests have now become his good friends.
薛说：“只要宣布发射日期，我的房间很快就会被订满。”他补充说，现在有几位客人成了他的好朋友。
As space tourism gains momentum, big companies are tapping into the market. According to Yang Tianliang, chairman of Hainan International Commercial Aerospace Launch Co., Ltd., there"s tremendous potential in offering space tourism services to ordinary people.
随着太空旅游业的发展势头越来越猛，大公司正在开拓这一市场。据海南国际商业航天发射有限公司董事长杨天梁介绍，为普通百姓提供航天旅游服务具有巨大潜力。
To seize this opportunity, the company launched Hainan"s first commercial aerospace tourism route last year, allowing visitors to explore the province"s commercial space launch site, currently under construction.
为了抓住这个机会，该公司去年推出了海南第一条商业航天旅游路线，让游客能够探索该省目前正在建设的商业航天发射场。
Having witnessed more than 10 rocket launches himself, Zhang Zuoxing said though the initial excitement has waned, he has found a new passion in capturing the expressions of people with his camera as they watch the launch. His lens weaves stories of a blend of joy, surprise and awe of the space enthusiasts.
张作兴亲眼目睹了10多次火箭发射，他说，尽管最初的兴奋感有所减弱，但他发现了一种新的激情，那就是用相机捕捉人们观看发射时的表情。他的镜头编织了太空爱好者的喜悦、惊喜和敬畏交织在一起的故事。
The spectacle of a rocket launch carries with it the ultimate goal of exploring deep space and unraveling the mysteries of the universe. This endeavor also reflects the dream of the Chinese people.
火箭发射的壮观场面带来了探索深空和解开宇宙奥秘的终极目标。这也反映了中国人民的梦想。
"The Chinese people"s aspiration and exploration of the universe resemble a "Long March,"" he said. "I am committed to helping more travelers relish the beauty of rocket launches."
