China to develop reusable Long March rocket instead of expendable ones; Elon Musk reacts

China is planning the development of a reusable rocket booster after dropping plans to build an expendable Long March 9 heavy-lift rocket. At the Zhuhai Airshow in southern China, engineers from the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT) displayed the Long March rocket featuring grid fins and no side boosters.

While many speculated about the designers planning a reusable rocket, the same was confirmed by Liu Bing, director of the general design department at CALT, Space News reported citing China Central Television (CCTV).

Now that the engineers have ditched the side boosters on the rocket, they are now planning a three-stage reusable launch vehicle measuring 108-meter-high and with a diameter measuring 10 meters. Moreover, the rocket, planned for launch around 2030, will weigh 4,180 metric tons and will be designed to carry 150 tons to low Earth orbit (LEO), 50 tons to lunar transfer orbit (LTO), or 35 tons to Mars transfer orbit. 

The official, however, said the design of the reusable rocket has not been finalised meaning it could undergo necessary changes before its test flight, per Space News. It is worth noting, however, that only the first-stage booster of the rocket would be usable, much like SpaceX's Falcon 9 whose booster lands after separating from the second stage.

(Boosters of Falcon Heavy landing after launch; Image: SpaceX) 

China adopts the idea of resuability

China's decision has revived debate on the importance of making reusable boosters for launch missions. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, while reacting to China's decision tweeted, "Rockets that aren’t reusable have no future." In the past, Musk has reiterated how reusable rockets can significantly reduce launch costs and enable more frequent launches which would eventually make humans multi-planetary species. 

This move by China will also eliminate concerns about its falling rocket debris which often go rogue following a launch. Earlier on Wednesday, suspected debris from China's Long March 5B rocket was found in the Philippines waters. Weighing roughly 20 tons, the debris likely belonged to the rocket which launched the Wengtian module of China's Taingong space station.