Why? Rocket Lab's Neutron is different. Stoke Space's Nova is different. Blue Origin is different. Sure, Relativity Space's is pretty close but it's also, probably, going to be far more capable than Falcon 9. (Assuming they can finagle logistics and support as well as SpaceX.)
If one was to count Blue Origin's New Glenn as "different" to F9, then surely CZ-10B is "different" as well. At the very least CZ-10B has completelly different landing system to F9, while New Glenn , functionally, uses the same solutions.
Besides, there is nothing wrong with opting to use existing design choices if they are providing increased reliability and are economically more viable.
 
If one was to count Blue Origin's New Glenn as "different" to F9, then surely CZ-10B is "different" as well.
New Glenn uses fins instead of folding grid-fins, strakes for increased crossrange capability, and six legs stored inside instead of four legs folded against the structure. The 10B (methane, catching wires?), I'll grant, is a different take.
 
10B - China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology
12A - Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology
12B - China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation Commercial Rocket Co

Okay. Weird that they wouldn't just change 12B to a different number.
10A - It is mainly used for crewed missions — launching crewed spacecraft and cargo spacecraft.
10B - More commercial. Mainly used for launching satellites, such as large-scale communication constellations.

10A & 10B - China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology - Academy 1, Team Beijing.
12A - Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology - Academy 8, Team Shanghai.

12B - China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation Commercial Rocket Co - China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) is the parent company of the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT) and the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST).
Commercial Rocket Co was established by this parent company, focusing on commercial launches. Both CALT and SAST have invested in the company.
 
Why? Rocket Lab's Neutron is different. Stoke Space's Nova is different. Blue Origin is different. Sure, Relativity Space's is pretty close but it's also, probably, going to be far more capable than Falcon 9. (Assuming they can finagle logistics and support as well as SpaceX.)
Rocket Lab, Stoke Space, Blue Origin …… Are they an American company?
If you're a latecomer developing a single-core, VTVL, first-stage reusable rocket, you'll more or less repeat what American developers have done. The Chinese do it, the Russians do it, and so do the Europeans.
I said.
 
If you're a latecomer developing a single-core, VTVL, first-stage reusable rocket, you'll more or less repeat what American developers have done. The Chinese do it, the Russians do it, and so do the Europeans.

They do differ from SpaceX’s rocket — assuming you mean the Falcon 9. Take the Long March 10B for example: its diameter is larger than the Falcon 9’s. The propulsion is also different. Both first stages are kerosene-powered, but the Long March 10B uses a closed-cycle(Staged combustion cycle) engine instead of the open-cycle with Falcon 9. Its second stage is methane-powered, unlike the Falcon 9’s kerosene. The recovery method is different too — it doesn’t have landing legs like the Falcon 9.

Europe's launch count is 47% of Russia's, 8.6% of China's, and 4% of the US's. And you're from Germany, right? China's launch count is 9,300% of Germany's. As for success rates...0(German)/90(China)=0%.

If you're going to be racist, snide, or sarcastic, you'd better have some kind of "superior" ground to stand on. In spaceflight, you Europeans are hardly a master race. Don't get all smug just because your skin is as white as the Americans'. That’s America’s achievement, not Europe’s.

Go ahead and clone the Falcon 9. Maybe you Europeans can trade some ADVANCED bottle cap technology for a bit of rocket technology from Musk?
Oh, I openly admit that since the beginning of this Millennium Europe is NOT a place to look for ELV, let alone RLV, innovation (you may occasionally have noticed my consistent strong views on the Italian SRB dead end industry) - one of the many reasons why I applied and was accepted for a position in advanced space system concepts at then Boeing North American (former Rockwell) in Downey, CA (the cradle of the Space Shuttle) in sunny near coastal SoCal :D. ESA *REALLY* should have gone with my FESTIP System Study FSSC-16 design back in the day, but, waking up each morning to the sight of palms outside our bedroom windows, I'm not bitter ;)...

I am amused though by your tunnel vision premise that "If you're a latecomer developing a single-core, VTVL, first-stage reusable rocket", which to me already indicates a lack of vision/imagination as to whether this *REALLY* is the optimal RLV configuration. The sentence should correctly read "If you're a latecomer developing a reusable rocket" - open your mind and expand your horizons. But then again, as you rightly indicate, these days many countries/organizations/companies suffer from this wearing intellectual blinders condition, so at least you're not alone with your (misguided?) attitude...
 
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Rocket Lab, Stoke Space, Blue Origin …… Are they an American company?

I said.
Exactly. I asked why China doesn't come up with different designs when, clearly, other American companies have chosen not to ape SpaceX. (For the most part.) And all of them were "latecomers".
 
Oh, I openly admit that since the beginning of this Millennium Europe is NOT a place to look for ELV, let alone RLV, innovation (you may occasionally have noticed my consistent strong views on the Italian SRB dead end industry) - one of the many reasons why I applied and was accepted for a position in advanced space system concepts at then Boeing North American (former Rockwell) in Downey, CA (the cradle of the Space Shuttle) in sunny near coastal SoCal :D. ESA *REALLY* should have gone with my FESTIP System Study FSSC-16 design back in the day, but, waking up each morning to the sight of palms outside our bedroom windows, I'm not bitter ;)...
Boeing? Does Boeing have a reusable rocket? You're jumping from a region that has no reusable rockets to a company that also has no reusable rockets? Delta Clipper? You're in charge of that?

Since you work in the space industry, you should have some knowledge, right? You should be able to recognize that there are many differences between the Long March 10B and the Falcon 9, right? So why are you still jumping to conclusions?

I am amused though by your tunnel vision premise that "If you're a latecomer developing a single-core, VTVL, first-stage reusable rocket", which to me already indicates a lack of vision/imagination as to whether this *REALLY* is the optimal configuration. The sentence should correctly read "If you're a latecomer developing a reusable rocket" - open your mind and expand your horizons. But then again, as you rightly indicate, these days many countries/organizations/companies suffer from this intellectual blinders condition...
The Falcon 9 has already flown hundreds of times. If you need to quickly catch up with the reusable rocket wave and securing government contracts, the Falcon 9 is the best solution.
 
10B - China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology
12A - Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology
12B - China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation Commercial Rocket Co

Okay. Weird that they wouldn't just change 12B to a different number.
Because they believe that there are too many rocket numbers, especially the Long March 2, 3, and 4 have roughly the same first stage, and the Long March 6A, 7, and 8 also have similar first stages with a diameter of 3.35 meters
 
Exactly. I asked why China doesn't come up with different designs when, clearly, other American companies have chosen not to ape SpaceX. (For the most part.) And all of them were "latecomers".
Relative to SpaceX's rockets, they are latecomers, but not relative to other countries.

They are also learning from other American companies. For example, the Zhuque-3 uses strakes for deceleration, which is likely inspired by Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket. They also have their own innovations, such as net capture recovery.

But the Falcon 9 is the most successful. So everyone goes to learn from it. If you want to innovate like crazy, like this...
9da82ba5gy1i92d9419pug20dw04qqvb.gif
This Chinese company can give it to you, but I suspect it's a company that will end up with nothing.
 
Boeing? Does Boeing have a reusable rocket? You're jumping from a region that has no reusable rockets to a company that also has no reusable rockets? Delta Clipper? You're in charge of that?

Since you work in the space industry, you should have some knowledge, right? You should be able to recognize that there are many differences between the Long March 10B and the Falcon 9, right? So why are you still jumping to conclusions?


The Falcon 9 has already flown hundreds of times. If you need to quickly catch up with the reusable rocket wave and securing government contracts, the Falcon 9 is the best solution.
These days I'm not in charge of any launch vehicle concepts, but I'm an aerospace engineer with relevant experience in this area - may I ask what your educational and professional background is?
 
These days I'm not in charge of any launch vehicle concepts, but I'm an aerospace engineer with relevant experience in this area - may I ask what your educational and professional background is?
I am not a space industry professional, nor do I have a degree in aerospace. But this is the Secret Projects Forum, not a job interview at Without Reusable Rockets · Boeing. Oh, my English isn't good either. Most of my conversations are translated by AI.

1. Many non-American teams are learning from the Falcon 9.
2. The rockets developed by the Chinese team are different from the Falcon 9.
This is a real phenomenon that I am pointing out. It has nothing to do with academic qualifications, and nothing to do with racial discrimination.
 
Thoughts just now about that include the mass added by the horizontal landing hardware and systems.
And include the multiple failure points added by those things.
And include the likely additional structure and its mass which are required to strengthen the rocket tube/hull/fuselage (I've seen those words used) to withstand sideways stresses (transverse I think is the technical term?) of thrust and deceleration, which likely go somewhat beyond the stress of lying sideways on a transporter trailer.
And include the money and man hours required to design and construct all the above.

So everyone goes to learn from it. If you want to innovate like crazy, like this...
9da82ba5gy1i92d9419pug20dw04qqvb.gif

This Chinese company can give it to you, but I suspect it's a company that will end up with nothing.
 
I am not a space industry professional, nor do I have a degree in aerospace. But this is the Secret Projects Forum, not a job interview at Without Reusable Rockets · Boeing. Oh, my English isn't good either. Most of my conversations are translated by AI.

1. Many non-American teams are learning from the Falcon 9.
2. The rockets developed by the Chinese team are different from the Falcon 9.
This is a real phenomenon that I am pointing out. It has nothing to do with academic qualifications, and nothing to do with racial discrimination.
Good to know.
 
Exactly. I asked why China doesn't come up with different designs when, clearly, other American companies have chosen not to ape SpaceX. (For the most part.) And all of them were "latecomers".
There is also cluster recovery, where all boosters are bundled together as a single unit for recovery. But are these solutions really better than the Falcon 9 one?
 

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Thoughts just now about that include the mass added by the horizontal landing hardware and systems.
And include the multiple failure points added by those things.
And include the likely additional structure and its mass which are required to strengthen the rocket tube/hull/fuselage (I've seen those words used) to withstand sideways stresses (transverse I think is the technical term?) of thrust and deceleration, which likely go somewhat beyond the stress of lying sideways on a transporter trailer.
And include the money and man hours required to design and construct all the above.
I agree - in engineering, everything's a tradeoff. Beware of foregone conclusions...
 
2. The rockets developed by the Chinese team are different from the Falcon 9.

That brings to mind a couple books worth reading, plus another one I have yet to purchase, and I only know of these in English. Do not yet know of a more recent book in English and I do not read Chinese, hence I do not know of any Chinese language books.

There is discussion of China's resource and development issues along the way, which include looking at other nations' stuff and ending up encountering the necessity of doing things China's way with China's resources.

Their publishing dates are, in same order as images, which come from Amazon, 2004, 2019, 2022.

by Brian Harvey Chinas Space Program.jpg

China in Space.jpg

I have not acquired this one yet,

Chinas Space Programme.jpg
 
There is also cluster recovery, where all boosters are bundled together as a single unit for recovery. But are these solutions really better than the Falcon 9 one?
I always thought a Saturn IB design would lend itself to boostback.

The legs could then be *between* tanks..slide past them--not stove them in.

A wide fairing could be had, with skirts opening up like a shuttlecock... maybe even chutes.

Everyone wants a telephone pole.
 
I always thought a Saturn IB design would lend itself to boostback.

The legs could then be *between* tanks..slide past them--not stove them in.

A wide fairing could be had, with skirts opening up like a shuttlecock... maybe even chutes.

Everyone wants a telephone pole.
Even having thumbed up your general characterization of the current flock of aerospace engineering follow the herd me too sheep, as a weeks away from voluntary retirement German National/USA Resident Alien crusty aerospace engineering veteran, I hold out hope there are always renegades that challenge the current en vogue aerospace launch vehicle paradigm, and if you do too, please don't hesitate to reach out to me.
 
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I hold out hope there are always renegades that challenge the current en' vogue aerospace launch vehicle paradigm, and if you do too, please don't hesitate to reach out to me.
All I would ask is if you could locate the engineless orbiter concept spoken of in figure 21 here--and the lenticular design of figure 13 here:

That would be a great addition here.

Posterity deserves to have more written about those who challenge convention. More fleshed out information that the late James Martin only touched upon might spark interest--if not in the West, then perhaps in China...if I and others can break them of Elon worship.

Crushing poverty has prevented me from making a mark---many others I am sure.

The destruction of an inquiring mind is a sad thing:
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrWZ1kJFU1o
 
All I would ask is if you could locate the engineless orbiter concept spoken of in figure 21 here--and the lenticular design of figure 13 here:

That would be a great addition here.

Posterity deserves to have more written about those who challenge convention. More fleshed out information that the late James Martin only touched upon might spark interest--if not in the West, then perhaps in China...if I and others can break them of Elon worship.

Crushing poverty has prevented me from making a mark---many others I am sure.

The destruction of an inquiring mind is a sad thing:
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrWZ1kJFU1o
No promises, obviously I can't and won't divulge Boeing internal documents, but I had the pleasure and privilege to work alongside Jim for a while - he was a true gentleman, and obviously an outstanding towering authority on space transportation. I'll root around in a bit...
 
Thank you for trying.
I checked Boeing's online library (the only one available these days), and while I found an entry for the “Shuttle Growth Study, Rockwell International Report SD76-SA-0134-3" reference #2, unfortunately it just states "No items available". No results whatsoever for references #1 and #3. I'd recommend to try FOIA requests to NASA and USAF, but I wouldn't hold my breath - sorry.
 
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Because they believe that there are too many rocket numbers, especially the Long March 2, 3, and 4 have roughly the same first stage, and the Long March 6A, 7, and 8 also have similar first stages with a diameter of 3.35 meters
Well, the main reason I suspect is bureaucratic trickery. Securing government funding and approval for something completely new is hard but it becomes alot easier when you package it with something else and claim it to be an "Upgrade" or "Derivative".
 
Of course, Europeans also have their Falcon 9 clones, but they are much smaller
View attachment 808528
That's the European way - well, at least since The Wall fell, and the most unfortunate Teutonic reunion (poor old West Germany, since before that, East Germany had the bragging rights of having produced the largest electronic microchips in the World...). But as a resident US alien, I'm still not bitter about the German reunification, no siree Bob (South Korea, I would desperately urge you to pay close attention to my expat hostage signals)... But on the plus side, we Europeans launch in much more scenic/dramatic locations!
 
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Chang'e 7 has been delivered at Wenchang, the launch, onboard a CZ-5, is planned between August and October.


Looking at the timeline, there may be a little "race" to the first succesful lander on the south pole proper between Blue Moon MK1 and Chang'e 7... although these two missions are not comparable (technological demonstrator for a crewed lander vs comprehensive long term scientiifc mission)


It also seems that the integration of the Chang'e/CLEP program within the CMSA's manned program is ongoing
View: https://x.com/WLR_2678/status/2042689898205909177



Exactly. I asked why China doesn't come up with different designs when, clearly, other American companies have chosen not to ape SpaceX. (For the most part.) And all of them were "latecomers".

Show me the launches of reusable or soon-to-be-reusable launchers from these other american companies that aren't the two centibillionaire funded SpaceX and Blue Origin.
 
Well, the main reason I suspect is bureaucratic trickery. Securing government funding and approval for something completely new is hard but it becomes alot easier when you package it with something else and claim it to be an "Upgrade" or "Derivative".
See Hornet / Super Hornet
 
According to https://www.china-in-space.com/p/first-long-march-10b-rocket-appears:

At the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site, China Long March Rocket Co Ltd (中国长征火箭有限公司), commonly known as China Rocket, has rolled out its first Long March 10B launch vehicle to Commercial Launch Pad 2 for final tests ahead of a debut flight, rumoured to come before the end of the month.
View: https://twitter.com/kelvin61942434/status/2043200074000568502

Successful WDR.
 
Land Space's landing pad has been restored.

View: https://twitter.com/raz_liu/status/2043945476895191475

View: https://x.com/raz_liu/status/2043885045514150253


The CZ-10B first stage will do a full verification flight including the landing/cable barge recovery. And the naming convention different from classic Y~to X~. May be a new naming convention to count the reused times.
 
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It has been a while. This is the voting activity for the 2026 manned spaceflight mission insignias, including Tianzhou-10, Shenzhou-23, Shenzhou-24, and the new spacecraft Mengzhou-1 flight mission.
The flight mission insignia for Tianzhou-10 has been revealed, and some people are complaining that it doesn't look very good.
 

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SpaceNews story on it:
NOTAM confirm that a launch attempt is planned no earlier than April 28th 02:00 UTC, the drop zone 500-600km downrange seems compatible with a rumored recovery attempt.

Here's how it should look like:

View attachment 809068
Comparison between the CZ-5 family and CZ-10B.
1776301119869.png
 

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