A recent airshow in Zhuhai, China officially unveiled its first 'super heavy lift rocket' called the Long March 9, and this has been revealed after almost a decade since it was introduced, now looking eerily similar to SpaceX's Starship. Initially, the rocket was a three-stage machine that featured motors on its side, but its latest development turned it into a two-stage spacecraft like the American-made one.
Moreover, the Chinese rocket has also made a significant shift to turning it into a more modern launch vehicle as one of the rockets is fully reusable, almost turning it into the renowned Starship.
China's Long March 9 Looks Similar to SpaceX Starship
A new report by Ars Technica detailed the latest airshow event over in China, where the state-owned entities heading the Long March family of rockets have unveiled their redesigned Long March 9 to the world. However, after appearing as a typical space vehicle, it has now taken a new form that is familiar to the global audience as the Stainless Steel rocket from SpaceX.
It was revealed at the event that the Long March 9 is now a two-stage rocket with its second stage featuring the same designs as SpaceX's Starship, down to its flaps on the upper and lower parts.
On the other hand, the first stage which will help it propel to orbit before detaching also looks similar to the Super Heavy, but both Chinese rockets have decals on them, and unlike SpaceX's design that is a bare Stainless steel.
Zhuhai Airshow, Long March 9 model! 2022 version VS 2024 version Source:https://t.co/uEQb79os01 pic.twitter.com/QmA4qxulMS
— CNSA Watcher (@CNSAWatcher) November 5, 2024
Long March 9 First Stage Rocket is Fully Reusable Too
It was revealed that this two-stage Long March 9 will also have one fully reusable rocket configuration for its first stage, powered by 30 YF-215 engines, as opposed to Super Heavy's 33 Raptor engines. This first stage is capable of having a thrust of 200 tons, while SpaceX's Raptor engines each have approximately 280 tons of thrust.
China revealed that come 2033, their new Long March 9 will be available to fulfill its maiden flight.
The Legacy of SpaceX's Starship
Elon Musk and SpaceX have long set their sights on Mars and help humankind explore more of the neighboring planet using a rocket that is meant to bring people to the other world and handle what space throws at it. The goal for the Starship is to make life "multi-planetary," and the Stainless Steel spacecraft will be the answer to that once it becomes operational.
The company is also quickly following its Starship with a sixth test flight anytime soon, looking to expand more on its achievements with the rocket after proving to the world that it is capable of orbital launches. This follows the recent success during Starship's Flight 5, and it is one of the most historical feats of the company as not only did everything go smoothly, but the company was also able to catch the Super Heavy Booster using Mechazilla.
Starship may have not yet fulfilled a real mission as it is still in its testing phase, but it already introduced a significant future for the space industry where it is possible to extend more of humanity's reach into the cosmos. After making it to the top and becoming one of the most recognizable rockets, China's introduction of the revamped Long March 9 takes on a similar form and look to the Starship, soon for the use of the Asian superpower.
