Presentation slides for a new Chinese launch vehicle showed some similarities to SpaceX’s Starship space transportation system.
China is developing a new methane-powered launch vehicle much like the US company SpaceX’s spacecraft, Space News reports .
The concept of a new generation reusable launch system for missions to low Earth orbit (LOT) has been presented during the International Symposium on the Cooperation Perspective for Human Spaceflight and Near Earth Orbit, held in Beijing on last week. The rocket is being developed on the basis of a winged space transportation system and a two-stage liquid oxygen-methane launcher.
Update on China’s new-gen launcher for human spaceflight (also for cargo). Single stick, 2-stage to LEO can carry 14 tonnes reusable, 18 tonnes expendable. 3 stages and three cores for 27tn to lunar transfer orbit. First flight within next 5 years. pic.twitter.com/95dJU73qq3
— Andrew Jones (@AJ_FI) February 17, 2022
Images used in the presentation slides by Wang Xiaojun, president of the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT), show that the Chinese concept resembles SpaceX’s Starship space transportation system. only in its design, but also because it will be reusable and will work with a similar launch.
However, there are some differences, such as the fact that the Chinese rocket is designed to carry about 20 tons of cargo to the OTB, while SpaceX’s foresees a capacity of 100 tons.
Work on China’s launch vehicle is currently in the research phase and it is not yet known when it will be launched.