newslink: China Developing new Rocket for Human Spaceflight, Lunar Missions
China unveiled a heavy-lift launch vehicle it is developing to carry a next-generation crewed spacecraft and power human spaceflight missions beyond low Earth orbit.
A model of the conceptual design of the unnamed launch vehicle was on display last week at the 12th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai, southern China, along with other exhibits including a full-scale model of the Chinese space station core module.
The launch vehicle plans are being developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT) under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), the main contractor for the Chinese space program.
Hu Xiaojun, a researcher at CALT, told press at the Zhuhai Airshow that the new launch vehicle is intended for future crewed spaceflight missions using China’s next-generation crewed spacecraft, including lunar missions.
At 90 meters, the new 2,000-metric-ton launcher will be close to twice as tall as China’s current most powerful rocket, the Long March 5, with the same 5-meter diamater. It will be designed to send 25 metric tons to trans-lunar injection and 70 metric tons to low Earth orbit.