China Chases Reusable Rockets

BeijingChina’s first landed booster has yet to fly again.

China’s 15th Five-Year Plan ties reusable rockets to a Starlink alternative and lunar astronauts.

Reuse ends throwing rockets away: Saturn V cost about $1 billion a launch and SLS about $5 billion.

Nottingham’s Chris Ellis puts China 10 years behind, though its Zhuque-2 first took a methane rocket to orbit.

Deep Blue Aerospace’s founder says China can catch SpaceX by 2030.

Sources: New Scientist