China developing key technologies on heavy-lift rocket

XICHANG, march 10 (Xinhua) -- CHINA has made significant progress in the development of the key technologies of the heavy-lift carrier rocket, the Long march-9, which is expected to make its maiden flight around 2030.

The development of the heavy-lift rocket will greatly improve CHINA's capacity of entering outer space. The Long march-9 rocket will support CHINA's space industry development, utilization of space resources and deep space exploration, said experts from the CHINA Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology.

The rocket will have a core stage with a diameter of 9.5 meters. Its total length will be nearly 100 meters. The rocket will be able to carry payloads of 50 to 140 tonnes into low-Earth orbit, 15 to 50 tonnes into the lunar transfer orbit, and 12 to 44 tonnes into the Mars transfer orbit.

The carrying capacity of the Long march-9 will be five times that of the Long march-5, currently the largest carrier rocket of CHINA.

The heavy-lift rocket is expected to help CHINA realize manned lunar exploration, taking samples from Mars back to Earth, and other deep space explorations.