BEIJING  – China is working on a super-powerful rocket that would be capable of delivering heavier payloads into low orbit than NASA, a leading Chinese space expert was quoted as saying Monday. By 2030, the Long March-9 rocket under development will be able to carry 140 tonnes into low-Earth orbit — where TV and earth observation satellites currently fly — said Long Lehao, a senior official from the Chinese Academy of Engineering, according to the official Xinhua news agency. This compares to the 20 tonnes deliverable by Europe’s Ariane 5 rocket or the 64 tonnes … Continue reading China aims to outstrip NASA with super-powerful rocket