This is John Bachelor, conversation with my colleague Rick Fisher of the International Assessment and Strategy Center about the Chinese Space Program, man space program, to low-Earth orbit, to the Moon and beyond.

The challenges boost the first stage, the big stuff.

SpaceX has super-heavy.

NASA has the SLS.

Russia, they had an ergia, right now they do not have a big

boost, but China is developing too, Long March 10 and Long March 9.

Long March 9 is the bigger one.

However, it is under development, and I ask Rick where it is.

In the meantime, Rick reports an alternative program using Long March 10.

Here's Rick Fisher to explain the Chinese plans to get to the moon before the US, before anyone in the next 10 years.

Rick Fisher, more of this tonight.

Yes, John, it's it's ongoing. The engines are being developed. We get snippets of news about about the engines. It's they've published, revealed about two, three versions now of long March 9, over the last 8 to 10 years.

But the focus now, John, is on the smaller, easier to produce long March 10.

And that's their first ride to the moon.