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According to an interview of the head of Wenchang city. CZ-9 (project) has started implementation in Wenchang.
China's Space Program Thread II
- Thread starter Blitzo
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According to an interview of the head of Wenchang city. CZ-9 (project) has started implementation in Wenchang.
What's the latest update on CZ-9. I have been hearing about this project for decades, and it has had multiple changes. What is the latest configuration they have settled on? IMO, it should be Chinese Starship.
There is the CZ-9 which is the three staged deep space/lunar optimised one but is only partially reusable with 150t payload then there is the CZ-9B which is 80t fully reusable. No CZ-9A is known yet. SpaceX doesn't really have a CZ-9 equivalent while CZ-9B is basically a watered down Starship V3 with less payload. Not that SpaceX needs a CZ-9 anyways given that their Starship V4 could do both 200t and still be fully reusable.
All payload data are for 200x200 LEO as with every other Chinese LV.
Assembly building, engine testbenches and associated logistics etc are already being built at Hainan, this is confirmed via satellite pictures. Though I don't think that plot of land includes the launch pad, not really sure where they are going to put that, maybe with the rest of Commercial launch pads? Or maybe one on each side?
At this point, I don't think they need a partially reusable rocket. Only a fully reusable rocket should do.
CZ-9 could do 50t to TLI which is probably required for large scale lunar infrastructure. CZ-9B doesn't have the deltaV for this.
Multiple variants, but importantly all of them have a first stage which is reusable and powered by 30x YF-215 FFSC Methalox engines.
The other variants differ with some having more conventional second stages and so on for various orbits, and some having a reusable second stage as well (for full reusability).
The original configurations of course were somewhat more SLS like and utilized kerolox engines
And among various iterations, this is now the more up to date rendition.
Also, let's get real you haven't heard about CZ-9 for decades. It was only really first depicted in 2016.
What on earth would make you think that?
A rocket with a reusable first stage + conventional second stage, versus the same rocket with the same reusable first stage + reusable second stage, would offer different mission profiles.
E.g.: a reusable first stage + conventional second stage, means you can launch heavier loads and larger unitary loads than having a both a reusable first stage and a reusable second stage. (whether it's for LEO, or for additional stages for deep space missions)
A reusable first+second stage is still useful of course, but it's not fit for all missions, and one needs to achieve a reusable first stage to full reusability anyhow.
Whether it is in terms of deep space missions, lunar missions, or the various permutations of LEO missions, having a reusable first stage is much much more important than having full reusability.
I am thinking in terms of cost of payload launch. I think Starship is being built to eventually have a cost per kg of $200 whereas the current Falcon 9 is in the range of $2000.
If there's a space race again at a massive scale where space is massively exploited, it would require China to have a competitive technology. My guess was that full reusability, or at least reusability of first and second stages (plus boosters) would give China parity.
Obviously everyone cares about cost to launch, and yes we know what Starship is aiming to achieve.
However, think about what Starship's cost per kg means in terms of the orbit they're aiming at, and the maximal unitary payload size that they can achieve at said cost, and whether that is achieveable for deeper space missions.
How does any of this relate to CZ-9, considering I've already answered your question about what CZ-9's configuration is?
Half of your posts in this thread are complaining about perceived deficits of space in context of strategic competition and expressing your own anxieties.
Sure, being aware of the global landscape is important for projecting likely PRC space trajectories, but if you're asking a specific question that gets answered, you then pivot into a general "geostrategic competition" topic which no one can give an answer to because it's asking people to predict the future. So why bother even posting it?
Aerospace and outer space exploration are firmly established as top priorities for China in 15th Five year plan alongside civil aviation.
CZ-9 Production Plant
Factory type: Largest in Asia, integrating multiple functional areas (vertical assembly/manufacturing plant)
Factory height: Over 100 meters, gate height over 80 meters, with a gantry crane on top
Crane bottom edge height: 96.5 meters
Height of the highest working platform from the ground: 79.5 meters
Construction Period: 771 days (approximately 2 years)
Expected Schedule: Land acquisition completed in 2028, factory construction completed in 2030, first rocket flight possibly not until 2035.
Rocket Specifications:
Diameter: Over 10 meters (specifically mentioned as 10.6 meters)
Height: Over 100 meters
Fairing: 16 meters in diameter, 40 meters in height
Rocket Configuration: Two or three stages; first stage is recoverable, second/third stages are not recoverable
Target Orbit: High Earth Orbit
Factory type: Largest in Asia, integrating multiple functional areas (vertical assembly/manufacturing plant)
Factory height: Over 100 meters, gate height over 80 meters, with a gantry crane on top
Crane bottom edge height: 96.5 meters
Height of the highest working platform from the ground: 79.5 meters
Construction Period: 771 days (approximately 2 years)
Expected Schedule: Land acquisition completed in 2028, factory construction completed in 2030, first rocket flight possibly not until 2035.
Rocket Specifications:
Diameter: Over 10 meters (specifically mentioned as 10.6 meters)
Height: Over 100 meters
Fairing: 16 meters in diameter, 40 meters in height
Rocket Configuration: Two or three stages; first stage is recoverable, second/third stages are not recoverable
Target Orbit: High Earth Orbit