Countdown to 2028 for launch of China’s super heavy-lift CZ-9 rocket
- Vehicle will be designed to take crews to the moon and explore deeper into space
- Chinese designers press on with engine tests and prototypes to realise essential technology
China is seven years away from having its new super heavy-lift space rocket ready for crewed lunar landings, according to its developer.
“The rocket will be able to cover ranges by adjusting the number of boosters, depending on the destination,” Liu said.
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China launches cargo ship to deliver supplies to its Tiangong space station
China has invested heavily in its space programmes as it presses on with plans to become a space power, particularly in competition with the United States.
Over the past year, the Chang’e 5 spacecraft has returned with samples from the moon and the Tianwen 1 has landed a rover on Mars.
Construction is also under way on China’s Tiangong Space Station and expected to be completed by the end of next year.
Three astronauts returned to Earth earlier this month after spending three months living on the space station, and a second crew will be sent up in October.