China is really doubling down on its efforts for the space race going on. With competitors like the US and Russia, it can’t afford to sit around, and what better way to start off the race, than with cloning one of your competitor’s inventions. SpaceX first showed off their Starship concept back in 2017 and now it’s come to the point where they’re almost capable of going to space and back.
So you can’t blame China for trying to make a Starship spinoff of their own. I mean, there are no patents to the concept. While SpaceX is focusing on getting the first astronauts to Mars, China is focusing on making their very own Star cruiser.
China’s new and original concept was shown off by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. They are the country’s official rocket makers and the video they shared showed a concept that has striking similarities with SpaceX’s Starship concept. But who can say if it’s actually a Starship clone?
You can view the original video below, although the quality is a bit off.
The video is essentially an animation showing off the concept, with a rocket going off into space and flying in low orbit around the Earth to reach its destination. The animation also shows passengers on the ship in a zero-gravity environment. The animation also has a clone of the Starship’s companion the Super Heavy Booster and again it is quite similar.
According to reports, China hopes to realize this new project by 2045, the concept is as cool as it was first unveiled in 2017. A suborbital transportation system that could take you anywhere around the globe. China also hopes to finish the cargo delivery part around 2035.
By the way you can view the original SpaceX video below and make your own comparisons.
It could be an April Fool’s joke but it isn’t 1st April. For now, China is reportedly focusing on a heavy-lift rocket called the Long March 9.
So what do you think? Is the resemblance between the concepts uncanny? Or is China basically copying everything?