The Long March 9 super heavy-lift rocket made an appearance at a major airshow recently—and looks awfully familiar.

China ’s space agency has unveiled an updated design of its first super-heavy reusable rocket which looks eerily similar to SpaceX ’s Starship launch vehicle. New images of the rocket, released at a major airshow in Zhuhai, China, indicate that the plan for the country’s Long March 9 rocket is a departure from the original design.

China recently unveiled a new concept design for its heavy-lift rocket, which appears to have been directly inspired by SpaceX's Starship.

SpaceX could launch its Starship rocket in a couple of weeks, for the sixth test flight of the craft. A launch is planned for as soon as November 18.

October, making a historic 'catch' of the spacecraft for reuse. Another launch is planned for Nov. 18, while, its rocket rivals move forward slowly, step by step.

SpaceX is gearing up for a historic mission to test propellant transfer between two orbiting Starships as early as March 2025. This major technical feat will pave the way for an uncrewed landing demonstration of a Starship on the Moon,

(LEFT) SpaceX launched its fourth Starship test flight from the company’s Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas, in June 2024; (RIGHT) China’s Long March 9 modified rocket design recently unveiled at Zhuhai. Credit: SpaceX.

By early next year, SpaceX may be ready to have two of its Starships rendezvous in orbit for an ambitious refueling test that will determine the spacecraft’s potential for deep space missions. During a recent interview with Spaceflight Now,