The liquid-fueled rocket engine using liquid oxygen and kerosene successfully fired with a thrust of 500 tons during a test on November 5.
Test firing of the liquid-fueled rocket engine on November 5. (Video: CGTN)
Chinese aerospace engineers successfully conducted a test firing of the country’s most powerful liquid-fueled rocket engine, achieving a thrust of 500 tons on November 5. This marks a significant advancement in the development of heavy-lift rockets. The crucial test took place at the facility of the Aerospace Propulsion Technology Institute in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province.
The new engine is four times more powerful than China’s current strongest rocket engine, which has a thrust of 120 tons. According to the design team, this engine uses liquid oxygen and kerosene and is expected to be the main engine for the Long March 9 rocket. This rocket model is anticipated to carry Chinese astronauts to the Moon in the future.
Once completed, the Long March 9 rocket could become one of the strongest and largest launch vehicles in the world. Experts indicate that this rocket model is currently under research and development, with operational plans projected around 2030.
This engine uses liquid oxygen and kerosene.
The Long March 9 will stand 93 meters tall, have a launch weight of 4,140 tons, and generate a thrust of 5,760 tons. Its core stage diameter will be approximately 10 meters. This rocket will be powerful enough to transport spacecraft weighing a total of 140 tons into low Earth orbit at altitudes of hundreds of kilometers, while also being capable of launching spacecraft weighing up to 50 tons into a trans-lunar trajectory for Moon exploration missions.
When the Long March 9 becomes operational, its payload capacity will be more than five times that of the Long March 5, currently China’s strongest rocket. The Wenchang Space Launch Site in Hainan has planned to build new infrastructure for testing and support, as well as a new launch pad for this super powerful rocket. The Long March 9 will play a crucial role in realizing China’s ambitious plans to land astronauts on the Moon and launch large spacecraft into deep space.
