China's Space Race: The Gap Between the Long March 9 and Saturn V, Can We Catch Up?

China's Space Race: The Gap Between the Long March 9 and Saturn V, Can We Catch Up?The United States, priding itself on its technological prowess, could not stand idly by. Faced with two setbacks against the Soviet Union, the US decided to invest heavily in space technology development, allocating $6

China's Space Race: The Gap Between the Long March 9 and Saturn V, Can We Catch Up?

Its well-known that space technology signifies a nations technological prowess. As a modern-day technological superpower, China has made significant strides in space technology. Initially, when the US refused to collaborate in space station development, China resolutely embarked on an independent research and development path, ultimately succeeding in building its own space station through its own efforts. Today, China's space technology is steadily ascending.

On May 3rd of this year, the Chang'e 6 lunar probe, powered by the Long March 5 rocket, successfully launched from the Wenchang Space Launch Center in Hainan. This rocket is currently Chinas largest, boasting a maximum takeoff thrust of 1078 tons. However, the United States, a superpower, enjoys highly advanced rocket technology. As early as 55 years ago, the US developed a rocket with a takeoff thrust of 3408 tons. The US rockets thrust far surpasses Chinas, prompting the question: why is there such a significant gap between the two? Is it a matter of "inferior technology"?

To answer this, we must revisit history. After World War II, the US and USSR emerged as the world's two superpowers, locked in an ideological rivalry that ignited a fierce competition. To demonstrate their military might to each other, both nations poured enormous resources into weapons development, initially focusing on "missiles," as they were considered formidable weapons of destruction at the time. Technological superiority not only yielded global influence but also guaranteed national security, symbolizing the advancement of their respective political systems. This led to a heated arms race between the two superpowers.

In the "missile" race, both sides were evenly matched, trading blows. However, the competition took a dramatic turn when the Soviet Union made its presence felt in space. In 1957, the Soviet Union successfully sent an artificial satellite into space, astonishing the world. Subsequently, the Soviet Union developed a manned rocket, launching cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin into space in 1961, a feat that once again sent shockwaves across the globe.

The United States, priding itself on its technological prowess, could not stand idly by. Faced with two setbacks against the Soviet Union, the US decided to invest heavily in space technology development, allocating $6.5 billion to develop a manned rocket in a bid to overtake the Soviets as quickly as possible. This project was ultimately named "Project Apollo."

In 1967, the US successfully developed a manned rocketthe Saturn V. This behemoth, composed of three rocket stages, stood at a towering 110.6 meters tall, generating a total thrust of approximately 3400 tons. As the rocket soared into space, Apollo 11 promptly landed on the moon. Finally, following a command from NASA, astronauts set foot on the lunar surface, marking the first time in human history that a manned spacecraft had landed on the moon. Neil Armstrong became the first human to walk on the moon.

The US's successful moon landing with a manned rocket marked their victory in the "space race" against the Soviet Union. While this feat was a cause for celebration, some individuals questioned the authenticity of the Apollo moon landing, claiming it was a hoax. They argued that the US lacked the technological capability to broadcast a live feed of the manned moon landing, pointing to the alleged post-production nature of the lunar backdrop and the existence of seemingly identical scenes on Earth to those captured in the lunar photos.

The authenticity of the Apollo moon landing remains a subject of debate, with substantial evidence lacking to definitively confirm or deny its veracity. However, historical records indicate that the Saturn V played a pivotal role in the US triumph in the "space race." This manned rocket achieved a takeoff thrust of over 3000 tons as early as 55 years ago.

So, why is there such a significant gap in space technology between the US and China, a "late bloomer"? While China has witnessed rapid advancements in space technology, its starting point differs significantly from that of the US. Post-WWII, China faced immense challenges, having to rebuild from scratch after a period of immense hardship. Rocket technology, a highly complex and sophisticated industry, was especially difficult to develop.

The US, on the other hand, secured the services of a wealth of research-oriented talent in the latter stages of World War II, giving it a head start. Chinas progress, while steady, was gradual, resulting in a slight lag in development speed. Despite this late start, Chinas space technology is by no means inadequate. Today, China also has the capability to build high-thrust manned rockets, one such example being the "Long March 9."

In its 2011 design version, the Long March 9, equipped with five boosters, achieved a takeoff thrust exceeding 5000 tons. However, this was merely the initial version. In the future, China may further modify and enhance this manned rocket, potentially boosting its performance even further. China has consistently achieved wonders in the space domain, making it worth watching with anticipation.

China undoubtedly faces a gap in the space technology arena compared to the US, but this does not imply that its technology is inferior. China's space program has witnessed remarkable progress in recent years, even surpassing global standards in certain areas.

References:

• Douyin Encyclopedia: "Saturn V Launch Vehicle," 2024.3.27

• Douyin Encyclopedia: "Long March 9 Launch Vehicle," 2024.5.14

• Science and Technology China: "Long March Series Rockets," 2024.5.20

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