China is working on a new rocket for a crewed mission to the moon in 2027. According to South China Morning Post (SCMP), Rocket 921 is being created by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT) in Beijing and is designed to carry an orbiter vehicle with three persons on board, plus a two-member Moon lander.
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(From R) Chinese astronauts Fei Junlong, Deng Qingming and Zhang Lu, crew of the Shenzhou-15 spaceflight mission, wave during a ceremony prior to the launch of the Shenzhou-15 mission at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Northwest Chinas Gansu Province on November 29, 2022. - China launched the Shenzhou-15 spacecraft on November 29, 2022 carrying three astronauts to its space station, where they will complete the country's first-ever crew handover in orbit, state news agency Xinhua reported.
Rocket 921
The new rocket was already launched in 2020 at the China Space Conference in Fuzhou. Upon completion, China will be a step closer to become a leading space power by 2030 and fully establish the country as a world space power by 2045.
Rocket 921 features the technology used in China's Long March CZ-5G launch vehicle that can carry 70 tonnes in the lower-Earth orbit and 25 tonnes to the Moon.
They are also looking to develop a low-cost reusable vessel that can support space transport missions. There is also continuous work on the Long March-9, which is the most powerful launch vehicle that can carry a payload of 150 tons to low-Earth orbits, 50 tons to the Moon, and up to 44 tons to Mars.
Also Read: Chinese Rocket Long March-5B Debris Hits the Philippines - Are There Damages?
China's Plans in Space
It can be recalled that China has laid out plans to further its exploration drive with even missions outside the solar system to discover habitable environments. By 2025, China's space agency will launch a deep-space probe that will study asteroids and comets passing closer to Earth.
In addition, they also hope to further Chang'e missions to bring back samples from the Moon in 2026. In addition, they also plan to conduct a survey at the lunar south pole the next year and set up a research outpost out there in 2028. There is also a possible date of 2030 to send a crewed mission to the Moon.
The country also has plans to collect samples from Mars in the next 10 to 15 years, along with expeditions to explore the Sun and other planets, such as Jupiter and Uranus.
China also has a mission outside the solar system, which is dubbed as "Sound Search," which aims to search for places suitable for human settlement.
With these plans, it is clear that China is planning for more than just the moon. The country is also looking for other worlds to explore. If these plans push through, there is no doubt that China's space program is looking to compete with other world space programs. This is also indicative of the country's love for science and technology.
China Is Ready for the Future
China is ready for the future. The country is not just about making plans. They are into something that can change the world and make sure that every person will have a safe place to live even far beyond Earth. China is ready to lead the world in the space conquest, which they consider as the next big frontier.
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