Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Looking forward at China's planned lift capability

China recently announced plans to develop a next-generation rocket capable of lifting 25 tons per launch. The ostensible reason was to carry a payload for a Chinese space station construction module.

Assuming they're out to match Russia's capability as a next step, it's worth noting the weight of the Zvezda (Star) Service Module, 21 tons. It's also significantly heavier than the Hubble, which clocks in around 12 tons, meaning that China would also be capable of putting high resolution spy satellites into orbit.