China: Building A Better Rocket

Even though the China lacks the technological superiority to challenge the US today, the Asian giant is making great strides in order to become a major space power (and rival) tomorrow.

(Space Daily) With four boosters, the 59.5-meter-high environmentally friendly rocket’s launching weight would reach 643 tonnes. It would be able to deliver a 25-tonne payload to an LEO, compared with the present 10 tonnes, and a 14-tonne payload to a GEO, compared with 5.5 tonnes now, said China Central Television in a report.

The 14-tonne payload to a GEO means the rocket can carry a heavier satellite or more satellites at one time while the 25-tonne payload to an LEO will enable it to carry the Shenzhou-series spacecraft, said Li Dong, a designer of Long MarchV.

While their rockets are still unable to deliver their citizens beyond Earth orbit, they are slowly (but steadily) improving their technology, and perhaps dreaming of the day when they land one of their own Taikonauts upon lunar soil.

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