--- title: "China’s New Rocket Concept Looks Suspiciously Like SpaceX’s Starship" description: "China showed off a concept for a two-stage methane-liquid launch system that looks exactly like SpaceX's Starship spacecraft." date: "2022-02-18" modified: "2022-02-18" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/china-rocket-spacex-starship" categories: - "Space" - "SpaceX" - "Starship" tags: - "china" - "SpaceX" - "Starship" - "the digest" --- # China’s New Rocket Concept Looks Suspiciously Like SpaceX’s Starship ![China showed off a concept for a two-stage methane-liquid launch system that looks exactly like SpaceX's Starship spacecraft.]() *\Image: SpaceX\* ## Chinese Starship If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, SpaceX must be very pleased with the Chinese space program. Wang Xiaojun, president of the nation's Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT), gave a presentation earlier this month showing off a concept for a two-stage methane-liquid launch system that looked *suspiciously* familiar, as [*SpaceNews* pointed out](). To wit, the images used in the slides bear a striking resemblance to SpaceX's [Starship spacecraft](). In all fairness, though, there are differences as well. CALT's launch system is designed to carry around 20 tons to low-Earth orbit, while SpaceX's mammoth spacecraft aims at carrying a whopping 100 tons. There also appear to be differences in how the engines generate thrust, as *SpaceNews* points out. https://twitter.com/MarcusHouse/status/1494542290123051010 ## Mars Express In short, there's a very good chance CALT took some convenient shortcuts to show off a very early rendition of its planned methane-LOX launch system. And it's just as likely its design language will change over time. Case in point: postgraduate students from CALT also showed off a "Mars Express" heavy launch vehicle capable of reaching the Martian surface. A [rather rudimentary animation]() shows a spacecraft that doesn't look anything like SpaceX's Starship, at least beyond being vaguely long and pointy. The academy's plans also represent a renewed focus on reusability and affordability, a goal that more space programs are starting to embrace beyond SpaceX and NASA. SpaceX has been a pioneer when it comes to recovering and reusing rocket stages, particularly when it comes to its workhorse Falcon 9 rocket. Now more countries are looking to follow suit, including Europe's ArianeGroup, which [announced a reusable mini-launcher]() last year. Russia's space corporation Roscosmos also [showed off designs]() for a reusable rocket dubbed Amur in July 2020 that looked like a [much clearer copy-paste job](), this time of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket. "It’s a step in the right direction, but they should really aim for full reusability by 2026,” [Musk tweeted]() at the time. **READ MORE:** [Starship lookalike among China’s new human spaceflight concepts]() \[*SpaceNews*\] **More on Starship:** *[Billionaire Says He’s Buying SpaceX Launches for “Private Space Program”]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()