China Studies Moon Rocket
Aviation Week
China is studying the design of a Moon rocket in the class of the Saturn V, as the Obama administration proposes canceling the U.S. successor to the Apollo launcher, Ares V….
Confirming that such a Chinese Moon rocket is at the study stage, the vice-president of the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, Liang Xiaohong, says it will have a thrust at lift off of 3,000 tons. The Saturn V’s S-1C first stage generated 7,648,000 lb. (3,470 metric tons) of thrust at sea level.
Liang says the payload of the Moon rocket has not been defined, which seems to suggest that the achievable launcher technology will determine the scope of the mission, rather than the desired mission determining the performance of the rocket.
The Chinese government has not authorized a manned Moon mission, but it is clear the country’s space sector is at least being allowed to prepare for one.
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