Chinese Long March 9 is a super-heavy lift rocket under development for large lunar and deep space missions. It will be able to support a manned mission to the Moon.
Chinese Long March 9 Designs.
2
Long March 9 Specs:
Diameter: 10.6 m (34.7 ft)
Height: ~114 m (374 ft)
Launch mass: ~4,400,000 kg (9.7 million lb)
First Stage Engines: 30x 200-ton thrust liquid methane / liquid oxygen (methalox) engines
Stages: 2 (Fully reusable)
Configuration: Single-stick core with grid fins (No side boosters)
Payload to LEO: 150,000 kg (330,000 lb)
Payload to Lunar (TLI): 50,000 kg to 54,000 kg
Rocket Development
Flights History
Flight 1: First Long March 9 Launch
Test Launch: Perhaps in 2020’s.
Flight 2: Second Long March 9 Launch
Moon Landing Launch?
History
2013
Chinese Long March 9 2013 design was a super-heavy carrier rocket that will be able to support a manned mission to the Moon. It design may have had 2 stages.
The 2013 design the initial design phase had two versions: one with liquid fuel boosters, and one with solid fuel boosters. The liquid boosters proposed may have used kerosene / liquid oxygen engines with 500 T thrust.
Specs in 2013:
Diameter: 8m to 10m (26ft to 32ft)
Height: 100 m (328 ft) ?
Thrust (sea level): ? MN (? lbf)
Stages: 2 to 3
Launch mass: ? kg (?lb)
Payload to LEO: 100,000kg / 130,000kg
Payload to GTO: ? kg
The Chinese Moon Rocket design payload to low Earth orbit maybe 130 metric tons. similar to NASA’s Space Launch System.
Future
In the future China may the launcher to build Chinese Moon Orbiting Space Station, a Moonbase and could also be used to launch missions for asteroid exploration and for mining.
Did you know?
* The Long March 9 was originally proposed in 2013 as a direct competitor to NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) and the Saturn V moon rocket.
* The radical design pivot to a reusable “methalox” rocket means the Long March 9 will completely bypass the need for traditional solid or liquid side boosters.
* For its initial crewed lunar landings in the late 2020s, China will use a smaller, intermediate rocket called the Long March 10, keeping the Long March 9 reserved for heavier infrastructure and Mars exploration.
The radical design pivot to a reusable “methalox” rocket means the Long March 9 will completely bypass the need for traditional solid or liquid side boosters.
- For its initial crewed lunar landings in the late 2020s, China will use a smaller, intermediate rocket called the Long March 10, keeping the Long March 9 reserved for heavier infrastructure and Mars exploration.
China is also developing the Long March 5 and Long March 7.
Recommended:
| Space Launch System (SLS): America’s Next Manned Rocket for NASA Deep Space Exploration to the Moon, Asteroids, Mars – Rocket Plans, Ground Facilities, Tests, Saturn V Comparisons, Configurations by World Spaceflight News & NASA. [Kindle Edition] (April 2012) Buy from: Amazon.com, Also: DVD set features incredible footage of the story of the Saturn V. Project Constellation Pocket by Frank Sietzen Magnificent guide takes an in-depth look at Project Constellation, program of the 21st century. |
Long March 9 Links:
- China’s Big New Rockets: AmericaSpace
- Long March 9 Revealed:
| If you like the products in the right column, then explore our Space Shop. Browse Space Magazines, Space Books,Space Posters, Travel, Calendars, Space T-Shirts plus more! |
Any comments on the Long March 9, click on Contact Info.
You must be logged in to post a comment.