
Let's not forget, Slowly, slowly, with China...
Nice article but let's not rush to cheer with the 100-tonne-plus-to-LEO beast, the proposed Long March 9, just yet.
I'd say that the boys over here in China will have their hands full getting the new generation of rockets, the Long Marches 5 (heavy-lift, up to 25 tonnes to LEO), 6 (designed for sun-synchronous operations) & 7 (medium-lift, intended to match the Falcon 9 in payload-to-orbit) into service, and phasing out the older generation of rockets.
So, let's wait four or five years while that gets done and the argument that a really-expensive heavy-lifter is needed, plus the probably several years of development before it enters service.
Big dreams, yes, but slow & steady is the lesson...