/sci/ - Science & Math

>>15397865
I wouldn't take those CZ9 roadmap dates too seriously; CASC changes their minds all the time. Probably, the real constraining factor for China is how fast they can get their 2MN ffsc mox Raptor clone working. If the engine proceeds rapidly then the CZ9 schedule might be accelerated.

That CASC recently decided to shift from kox to mox for CZ9 suggests that they made key breakthroughs with the mox engine development. They previously said 2035 for the mox CZ9, then this April they said 2033. In the previous slides a reusable upper stage wasn't included in the roadmap, in the April slides they were.

If Starship works well then CASC might decide to skip the expendable second stage on CZ9 and go directly for a Starship clone.

>>15397865
I wouldn't take those CZ9 roadmap dates too seriously; CASC changes their minds all the time. Probably, the real constraining factor for China is how fast they can get their 2MN ffsc mox Raptor clone working. If the engine proceeds rapidly then the CZ9 schedule might be accelerated.

That CASC recently decided to shift from kox to mox for CZ9 suggests that they made key breakthroughs with the mox engine development. They previously said 2035 for the mox CZ9, then this April they said 2033. In the previous slides a reusable upper stage wasn't included in the roadmap, in the April slides they were.

If Starship works well then CASC might decide to skip the expendable first stage on CZ9 and go directly for a Starship clone.