Elon Musk Says China’s Falcon 9 Rival Might Outperform In 5 Years ‘If They Are Lucky,’ Notes SpaceX Will Be Launching Starship By Then
Elon Musk on Saturday stated that SpaceX’s Chinese rival, LandSpace Technology’s Zhuque-3 launch vehicle, might outperform the Falcon 9 “if they are lucky,” but it could still take a few years.
Rising Competition
Musk noted that LandSpace has integrated elements from the Starship design in its Zhuque-3 launch vehicle, such as stainless steel and methalox fuel. This integration aims to enhance the performance of Zhuque-3, but he noted that SpaceX will have made progress on the Starship.
“If they are lucky, it might outperform Falcon in 5 years, by which time SpaceX will be launching Starship,” Musk said in a post on X.
Starship In Another League, Says Musk
Despite these advancements, Musk emphasized that the Starship remains in a league of its own. He anticipates that by the time Zhuque-3 outperforms the Falcon 9, SpaceX will be actively launching the Starship, which is designed for more ambitious missions.
“They have added aspects of Starship, such as use of stainless steel and methalox, to a Falcon 9 architecture, which would enable it to beat Falcon 9. But Starship in another league.”
SpaceX’s ongoing development of the Starship is part of its broader strategy to use it for missions to the Moon.
Starship Ambitions
Musk had previously stated that the Starship could help SpaceX deliver up to 95% of Earth’s total orbital payload, potentially increasing to 98% by 2027. This ambitious goal underscores SpaceX’s commitment to leading the commercial spaceflight sector.
Meanwhile, Huo Liang, the founder of Deep Blue Aerospace, predicted that Chinese space startups could catch up to SpaceX by 2030. In 2023, LandSpace launched a rocket powered by liquid oxygen and methane, a milestone achieved before SpaceX’s Starship.
Musk has acknowledged China’s advancements, praising their space program as “far more advanced than most people realize.” This acknowledgment came ahead of China’s successful Shenzhou-16 launch, which sent three astronauts to the Tiangong space station.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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