China aims to outstrip NASA with super-powerful rocket

[TaiShang]

China aims to outstrip NASA with super-powerful rocket

TECH & SCI
CGTN
2018-07-03

China is working on a super-powerful rocket that would be capable of delivering heavier payloads into low orbit than NASA, a leading Chinese space expert was quoted as saying Monday.

By 2030, the Long March-9 rocket under development will be able to carry 140 tons into low-Earth orbit – where TV and earth observation satellites currently fly – said Long Lehao, a senior official from the Chinese Academy of Engineering, according to the official Xinhua news agency.

Gaofen-5 launched by Long March 4C /VCG Photo

This compares to the 20 tons deliverable by Europe's Ariane 5 rocket or the 64 tons by Elon Musk's Falcon Heavy, which in February catapulted one of the US entrepreneur's red Tesla Roadster cars towards Mars.

It would also outstrip the 130 tons of NASA's Space Launch System, which is due to become operational in 2020.

China's Long March-9 would have a core stage measuring 10 meters (33 feet) in diameter and boast four powerful boosters, each with a diameter of five meters.

The SpaceX Falcon Heavy launches from Pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on its demonstration mission, February 6, 2018. /VCG Photo‍

Xinhua quoted Long as saying the rocket could be used in manned lunar landings, deep space exploration or constructing a space-based solar power plant.

In addition, China is working on a reusable space rocket, which is expected to make its maiden flight in 2021. The first stage and the boosters will be retrieved after a vertical landing, Long said in a speech in Beijing.

Ariane 5 rocket blasted off from the Kourou Space Center (Europe spaceport), in Kourou, French Guiana. /VCG Photo

China is pouring billions into its space program, with hopes of having a crewed space station by 2022, and of sending humans to the moon in the near future.

It is looking to finally catch up with the US and Russia after years of belatedly matching their space milestones.

China is also planning to build a base on the moon, the state-run Global Times said in early March, citing the China Academy of Space Technology.

https://news.cgtn.com/news/3d3d414f3549544e78457a6333566d54/share_p.html

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

China aims to outstrip NASA with super-powerful rocket

By 2030, the Long March-9 rocket under development will be able to carry 140 tons into low-Earth orbit –

That's in 2030. The BFR will launch in 2020-2021 with over 150 tonnes/165 tons LEO.

 

[TaiShang]

Jul 02, 2018 07:11 PM

Rocket Startup iSpace Receives $90 Million in Funding This Year

By Jason Tan

OneSpace’s “Chongqing Liangjiang Star” rocket was successfully launched from Northwest China on May 17. Photo: VCG

A young rocket startup said it has received financing worth 600 million yuan ($90.6 million) within a year, as China hopes to send its space industry into orbit in the coming years.

The startup, iSpace, which was set up in 2016 and has been operational since August, said in a statement (link in Chinese) on Sunday it obtained new capital in a Series A funding from investors led by Matrix Partners China, the local affiliate of the U.S. venture capital fund that has invested in technology companies such as search giant Baidu Inc. and ride-hailing operator Didi Chuxing.

https://www.caixinglobal.com/2018-0...0-million-in-funding-this-year-101289865.html

 

[Feng Leng]

CZ-5 still isn't back online yet

What a horrible fukk up by somebody entrusted to do a proper job.

 

[saltyashell]

CZ-5 still isn't back online yet

What a horrible fukk up by somebody entrusted to do a proper job.

Is cz5 the Chinese rocket that had a rapid unscheduled disassembly a year back ?
The space faring Nations already have a pretty good grip on legacy launchers . What China with it's vast reserves should concentrate on is new age fully reusable launchers , something like the modern jetliners of today. Just refuel and back to space.
The fuel being used ATM is kerosene and oxygen or hydrogen and oxygen for the final stages. Need a more dense fuel which does not take so much volume but provides the reqd velocity.
China should take the lead in researching new fuels and associated tech for rockets.

 

[ILC]

I hope private space companies will start to grow big, China needs some bilionaires who would want to pour bilions in space industry and "be the first" .