SpaceX presented a version of a fully reusable two-stage Super Heavy rocket in 2016. It was the Interplanetary Transport System.
China has now presented a video of a fully reusable two-stage super-heavy rocket.
China’s video is more cartoonlike. China will have to upgrade its rendering for a more photorealistic video.
You can compare the videos.
China is almost at the stage where SpaceX was in 2016. SpaceX first achieved a successful landing and recovery of a first stage in December 2015. The first re-flight of a landed first stage occurred in March 2017. China has other rockets that actually launch and China and Chinese startups are working towards recovering the booster stage. China is planning a first-stage recovery test for a Long March 8 by the end of the year.
China now has presented an aspirational video for full reusability.
There is also the more important matter of actually making fully reusable rockets, but I guess baby steps.
At least China’s space agency and space startups have the aspiration of copying SpaceX. Ariane and the European Space Agency are still working on their powerpoint and they have funded a study to determine how much they want to copy SpaceX. Europe may present a powerpoint of their Working Group in September. It is unknown if Europe will fully commit to fully reusable rockets as a goal. It is unknown if Europe will also have made an animated video of a fully reusable rocket. China appears to be five months ahead of Europe in PowerPoint animations of fully reusable rocket copies of SpaceX.
SpaceX is readying to launch Starship prototype SN15 and has stacked the super-heavy booster BN1 for ground tests.
China has said they are targeting 2030 for the first test launch of a super-heavy rocket.
The video from China has an electromagnetically launched space plane as well.
SOURCES- Weibo, SpaceX, ESA, China CATL
Written by Brian Wang, Nextbigfuture.com
Brian Wang is a Futurist Thought Leader and a popular Science blogger with 1 million readers per month. His blog Nextbigfuture.com is ranked #1 Science News Blog. It covers many disruptive technology and trends including Space, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Medicine, Anti-aging Biotechnology, and Nanotechnology.
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