According to the American Fun Science on March 5, China's two reusable launch vehicles under development are scheduled to make their first flights in 2025 and 2026 respectively, or in preparation for future manned missions to the moon.
According to Aerospace News, the upcoming launch is part of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation's program. This will be the "key" to China's plan to send astronauts to the moon by 2030.
Unlike most of the rockets used in the past by China, the two types of rockets will be reusable, the report said. This means that they are not only more sustainable, but also more cost-effective. In future missions, there will be no need to build new rockets before each launch.
The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation did not mention the name of the rocket. The two types of rockets include a 4-meter class rocket and a 5-meter class rocket. The U.S. Space News Network speculates that one of the larger rockets may be a derivative of the Long March 10 launch vehicle under development. The Long March 10 is a 92-meter-long launch vehicle with a 27-ton lunar orbit carrying capacity. According to the analysis of the US space**, the Long March 10 rocket will also be responsible for sending the crew of the newly named "Dream Boat" manned spacecraft to the moon in the future.
According to Aerospace News Network, according to the latest reusable rocket development schedule, the Long March 10 may be tested and launched as early as 2025, and will carry a new generation of space capsules into Earth orbit.
While several Chinese companies are currently developing reusable rockets, the state-owned China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation's new launch vehicle will "dramatically increase the selectivity of China's space launch and entry into space" by competing with the products of different domestic commercial rocket companies, according to Aerospace News.
According to an article in China's Science and Technology magazine, China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation successfully completed a vertical take-off and landing hovering test in 2023 and made a key technological breakthrough in reusable rockets. (Compiled by Wen Yi).