To compete with SpaceX Starship, a Chinese rocket manufacturers appear to be developing a fully reusable variant of the Long March 9 super-heavy launch vehicle.
China may have plans to dramatically alter its space transportation program, according to the appearance of a new reusable methane-liquid oxygen rocket program, which is expected to be completed by 2035.
According to the International Moon Research Institute (per Bolly Inside), last year, the Chinese government confirmed its support for the continued construction of a super-heavy launch vehicle called the "Long March 9."
SpaceX's first orbital Starship SN20 is stacked atop its massive Super Heavy Booster 4 at the company's Starbase facility near Boca Chica Village in South Texas on February 10, 2022.
China Considers Fully Reusable Heavy-Lift Rocket to Compete With SpaceX
The lead designer of the Long March rocket series, Long Lehao, unveiled the new Long March 9 design (see here) at a public lecture delivered in Chinese. The variation may launch as early as 2035, SpaceNews reported.
The Long March 9 is a spacecraft being developed by the Chinese government for operational usage in 2030, primarily to complete the construction of the International Lunar Research Station with Russia. However, the nation unveiled a concept unlike the one shown last year, which only had a reusable first stage. The new Long March 9 completely reusable variant would be a radical departure, according to SpaceNews.
The 10.6-meter-diameter first stage of the launch vehicle is anticipated to have 26 engines with a thrust of 200 tons that burn a combination of liquid oxygen and methane, Gadget Tendency reported. Such fuel gives engines more thrust while shielding them from coking and increasing soot generation. Also, such fuel is superior to conventional fuel for reusable rockets. It's not a coincidence that liquid oxygen serves as an oxidizer, and liquid methane serves as fuel in Starship.
The Chinese reusable rocket is expected to launch 150 tons of payload into low-Earth orbit, 65 tons into geotransfer orbit, or 50 tons into lunar orbit. The hefty Long March 9 will reportedly consist of three phases in its maximum form. It will be 110 meters tall (or long), and its launch weight will be 4122 tons. For reference, a Starship with a Super Heavy rocket has a length of 120 meters and a launch weight of 5000 tons.
China's Space Missions
According to Space.com, China has so far launched more than 400 missions. Most of which were propelled by the Long March rocket family.
The Long March 5/5B series, which launched missions including China's first interplanetary mission and the Tianhe 1 space station core module, is the most well-known modern variation. Space debris monitors throughout the world have denounced the enormous Long March 5B's core stage for falling uncontrollably back to Earth following each flight.
The Long March 8 family, which has flown on two flights so far and is aiming for reusability like Long March 9, could someday be able to land like SpaceX's Falcon 9, although it runs on a kerosene fuel mixture.
Despite this, SpaceNews said that the methane engine design suggested for Long March 9 is practical since the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation has been developing methane engines for some time.
The action would also align China with American firms like SpaceX, Blue Origin, and United Launch Alliance. All of them seek the solution for improved performance and less soot-related environmental problems.
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