China approves Long March 9 super heavy rocket, per lecture slide

Key facts

• The approval was reported from a lecture slide circulating online, not from a published government document.
• The slide says the Long March 9 will stand 110 meters tall and measure 10.6 meters wide.
• The slide describes the rocket as stainless steel and as China's most powerful and expensive launcher.
• The Long March 9 is often described as China's counterpart to SpaceX's Starship, per the report.

China has approved development of the Long March 9, a heavy-lift rocket intended for missions beyond Earth orbit including lunar surface work, according to a report citing a presentation slide circulating online. The slide was shown in the northwestern city of Xian and states that official approval was granted in October 2026.

According to the slide, the stainless-steel rocket will be 110 meters (361 feet) tall and 10.6 meters wide, making it the most powerful and most expensive launcher China has built. The report describes the Long March 9 as China's counterpart to SpaceX's Starship, and says the approval came weeks after the US vehicle first reached orbit.

The account rests on a slide the report says is circulating online rather than on a published government announcement, and the report does not name the officials or agency behind the approval.