Long March 9

China is working on its Long March-9 Heavy rocket (Mega Rocket) which will have a 130 ton payload lift capability to low Earth orbit.

China plan to use it for their first manned lunar mission around 2030.

The first launch of the rocket is planned for 2028.

The vehicle will be based on the previous Long March-5 model, but its dimensions will be bigger and equipped with a new, more powerful engine. The researchers say the diameter of the rocket will be eight to 10 meters and 3,000 tons in weight.

Breakthroughs are needed on the overall design of the rocket, including development of a 460 tonne thrust liquid oxygen and kerosene engine and a 220 tonne liquid hydrogen engine.

UPDATE March 2023

The height of Long March 9 is 114 m, and with a diameter of 10.6 m. The  new weight being 4,369 tons. The rocket will be able to launch a payload of up to 150 tons into low Earth orbit, or deliver a ship weighing up to 54 tons to the Moon.

Big news is that the first stage of Long March 9 will be reusable.

The Engine configuration has now changed to the first stage of the Long March 9 having 30 methane-oxygen engines with a thrust of 200 tons, the second stage has 2 of the same engines. An optional third stage equipped with a single YF-91 hydrogen-oxygen engine with a thrust of 1.2 MN.