BEIJING – China is working on a super-powerful rocket that would be capableof delivering heavier payloads into low orbit than NASA, a leading Chinesespace expert was quoted as saying Monday.
By 2030, the Long March-9 rocket under development will be able to carry140 tonnes into low-Earth orbit — where TV and earth observationsatellites currently fly — said Long Lehao, a senior official from theChinese Academy of Engineering, according to the official Xinhua newsagency.
This compares to the 20 tonnes deliverable by Europe’s Ariane 5 rocket orthe 64 tonnes by Elon Musk’s Falcon Heavy, which in February catapulted oneof the US entrepreneur’s red Tesla Roadster cars towards Mars.
It would also outstrip the 130 tonnes of NASA’s Space Launch System, whichis due to become operational in 2020.
China’s Long March-9 would have a core stage measuring 10 metres (33 feet)in diameter and boast four powerful boosters, each with a diameter of fivemetres.
Xinhua quoted Long as saying the rocket could be used in manned lunarlandings, deep space exploration or constructing a space-based solar powerplant.
In addition, China is working on a reusable space rocket, which is expectedto make its maiden flight in 2021. The first stage and the boosters will beretrieved after a vertical landing, Long said in a speech in Beijing.
China is pouring billions into its military-run space programme, with hopesof having a crewed space station by 2022, and of sending humans to the Moonin the near future.
The Asian superpower is looking to finally catch up with the US and Russiaafter years of belatedly matching their space milestones.
China is also planning to build a base on the moon, the state-run GlobalTimes said in early March, citing the Communist Party chief of the ChinaAcademy of Space Technology.