Kuaizhou Explained

Kuaizhou (KZ,, meaning "speedy vessel") (also called Feitian Emergency Satellite Launch System, Feitian-1, FT-1)[1] [2] [3] is a family of Chinese "quick-reaction" orbital launch vehicles. Flying since 2013, Kuaizhou 1 and 1A consist of three solid-fueled rocket stages, with a liquid-fueled fourth stage as part of the satellite system. Kuaizhou 11, which flew an unsuccessful maiden flight in July 2020 (and successful second flight in 2022), is a larger model able to launch a payload into low Earth orbit. Heavy-lift models KZ-21 and KZ-31 are in development. The Kuaizhou series of rockets is manufactured by ExPace, a subsidiary of China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC), as their commercial launch vehicles.[4]

History

The rocket series is based on CASIC's Anti-satellite weapon (ASAT) and BMD mid-course interceptor rockets, in particular the DF-21 Intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) (another Chinese rocket that was based on DF-21 was the Kaituozhe-1). Development on the KZ launch vehicles started in 2009. The Kuaizhou launch vehicles were to provide an integrated launch vehicle system with the rapid ability to replace Chinese satellites that might be damaged or destroyed in an act of aggression in orbit. The vehicle uses mobile launch platform. The launch vehicle is operated by the PLA Rocket Force.[5] [6]

The maiden flight of Kuaizhou 1 launch vehicle, orbiting the Kuaizhou 1 natural disaster monitoring satellite, occurred on 25 September 2013, launched from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.[7]

Second flight of Kuaizhou 1 launch vehicle, orbiting the Kuaizhou 2 natural disaster monitoring satellite, was launched at 06:37 UTC on 21 November 2014, again from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.[8] [9]

The first commercial launch inaugurated the Kuaizhou 1A version on 9 January 2017, from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. It placed three small satellites into a polar orbit.[10]

The maiden launch of Kuaizhou 11 was on 10 July 2020. The launch was a failure, and the rocket was initially declared retired in April 2022,[11] but later that year it was revealed that a second launch was planned for December.[12] The successful launch of Kuaizhou 11 on 7 December 2022 marked the rocket's return to service.[13]

Specifications

The solid-fuel KZ-1A can place 200 kg payload into a Sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 700 kilometres. The KZ-11 version is able to put 1000 kg to the same orbit.[14]

Launch preparations are designed to take very little time, and the launch can be conducted on rough terrain.[4] The rocket's low requirements for launch help with cost savings, yielding a launch price under US$10,000 per kilogram of payload. This price level is very competitive in the international market.[6]

Satellites can be installed on a Kuaizhou launch vehicle and stored in a maintenance facility. Once needed, the launch vehicle is deployed by a Transporter erector launcher (TEL) vehicle to a secure location. Launch readiness time can be as short as several hours.[15] [3]

Models

Rocket First launchPayload fairing sizePayload to LEOPayload to SSOLift-off massLengthDiameter Thrust Payload cost
Kuaizhou 1
(KZ-1)		25 September 2013 (500 km)[16] [17] 30–32 tonnes

(KZ-1A)		9 January 2017 [18] [19] [20] (500 km)
(700 km)		30 tonnes, TEL-capable[21]

(KZ-1A Pro)		4 December 2024 [22] [23] (500 km) [24]
Kuaizhou 11
(KZ-11)		10 July 2020[25] (700 km)78 tonnes, TEL-capable
Kuaizhou 21
(KZ-21)		2025 (projected)[26]
Kuaizhou 31
(KZ-31)		(TBD) (engines)

List of launches

Flight No.Date (UTC)Launch siteVersion; Flight numberPayloadOrbitResult
125 September 2013
04:37 		Jiuquan, LS-95AKuaizhou 1
Y1		Kuaizhou 1SSO
221 November 2014
06:37 		Jiuquan, LS-95BKuaizhou 1
Y2		Kuaizhou 2SSO
39 January 2017
04:11		Jiuquan, LS-95AKuaizhou 1A
Y1		Jilin-1-03SSO
429 September 2018
04:13		Jiuquan, LS-95AKuaizhou 1A
Y8		Centispace 1-S1SSO
530 August 2019
23:41 		Jiuquan, LS-95AKuaizhou 1A
Y10		KX-09SSO
613 November 2019
03:40		Jiuquan, LS-95AKuaizhou 1A
Y11		Jilin-1-02ASSO
717 November 2019
09:52 [27] 		Jiuquan, LS-95AKuaizhou 1A
Y7		KL-Alpha A and BLEO
87 December 2019
02:55 [28] 		Taiyuan, LC-16Kuaizhou 1A
Y2		Jilin-1-02BSSO
97 December 2019
08:52 		Taiyuan, LC-16Kuaizhou 1A
Y12		HEAD-2 A/B, SPACETY-16/17, Tianqi-4 A/BSSO
1016 January 2020
03:02 [29] 		Jiuquan, LS-95AKuaizhou 1A
Y9		Yinhe-1LEO
1112 May 2020
01:16 [30] 		Jiuquan, LS-95AKuaizhou 1A
Y6		Xingyun 2-01 and Xingyun 2-02LEO
1210 July 2020
04:17 [31] 		Jiuquan, LS-95AKuaizhou 11
Y1		Jilin-1-02E and Centispace-1-S2SSO
1312 September 2020
05:02 [32] 		Jiuquan, LS-95AKuaizhou 1A
Y3		Jilin-1 Gaofen-02CSSO
1427 September 2021
06:19 [33] 		Jiuquan, LS-95AKuaizhou 1A
Y4		Jilin-1 Gaofen-02DSSO
1527 October 2021
06:19[34] 		Jiuquan, LS-95AKuaizhou 1A
Y5		Jilin-1 Gaofen-02FSSO
1624 November 2021
23:41[35] 		Jiuquan, LS-95AKuaizhou 1A
Y13		Shiyan 11SSO
1715 December 2021
02:00[36] 		Jiuquan, LS-95AKuaizhou 1A
Y17		GeeSAT-1A/1BLEO
1822 June 2022
02:08[37] 		Jiuquan, LS-95AKuaizhou 1A
Y23		Tianxing-1LEO
1923 August 2022
02:36[38] 		XichangKuaizhou 1A
Y15		Chuangxin-16 A/BLEO
206 September 2022
02:24[39] 		Jiuquan, LS-95AKuaizhou 1A
Y16		Centispace 1-S3/S4LEO
2124 September 2022
22:55[40] 		Taiyuan, LC-16Kuaizhou 1A
Y14		Shiyan 14/Shiyan 15SSO
227 December 2022
01:15[41] 		Jiuquan, LS-95AKuaizhou 11
Y2		Xingyun Jiaotong VDESSSO
2322 March 2023
09:09[42] 		Jiuquan, LS-95AKuaizhou 1A
Y19		Tianmu-1 03–06
249 June 2023
02:35[43] 		Jiuquan, LS-95AKuaizhou 1A
Y20		Longjiang-3LEO
2520 July 2023
03:20[44] 		Jiuquan, LS-95AKuaizhou 1A
Y22		Tianmu-1 07–10
2614 August 2023
05:32[45] 		Xichang (Mobile Launcher Pad)Kuaizhou 1A
Y21		Jiaotong 06–10 (HEAD 3A–3E)
2725 December 2023
01:00[46] 		Jiuquan, LS-95AKuaizhou 1A
Y26		Tianmu-1 11–14SSO
2827 December 2023
06:50[47] 		Jiuquan, LS-95AKuaizhou 1A
Y27		Tianmu-1 19–22SSO
295 January 2024
11:20[48] 		Jiuquan, LS-95AKuaizhou 1A
Y28		Tianmu-1 15–18SSO
3011 January 2024
03:52[49] 		Jiuquan, LS-95AKuaizhou 1A
Y24		Tianxing-1 02SSO
3121 May 2024
04:15[50] 		Jiuquan, LS-95AKuaizhou 11
Y4		Wuhan-1, VLEO test satellite, Tianyan-22, Lingque-3-01SSO
3220 September 2024
09:43[51] 		Xichang, (Mobile Launcher Pad)Kuaizhou 1A
Y31		Tianqi 29-32 (4 satellites)
334 December 2024
04:46[52] 		Xichang, (Mobile Launcher Pad)Kuaizhou 1A Pro
Y30		Haishao-1

Launch Statistics

Launch outcomes

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Kuaizhou-1 (KZ-1) / Fei Tian 1. space.skyrocket.de. 17 October 2022.
  2. Web site: Chinese Kuaizhou-1A rocket launches several small satellites. 9 January 2017.
  3. Web site: China Unveils New Rocket, People Get Real Curious About What It's For. 13 November 2014.
  4. News: First commercial space base to be built in Wuhan. SpaceDaily. 14 September 2016.
  5. News: ExPace, China's Very Own SpaceX. Phillip. Keane. Asian Scientist. 20 September 2016.
  6. News: China's Private Space Industry Prepares To Compete With SpaceX And Blue Origin. Popular Science. Jeffrey. Lin. P.W.. Singer. October 7, 2016. March 10, 2018.
  7. News: China launches satellite to monitor natural disaster. Xinhua. September 25, 2013.
  8. News: China launches Kuaizhou-2 in second launch within 24 hours. NASASpaceFlight.com. Rui C.. Barbosa. November 21, 2014. March 10, 2018.
  9. News: China launches for the second time in 24 hours. Stephen. Clark. Spaceflight Now. 21 November 2014. 22 November 2014.
  10. News: Clark. Stephen. Kuaizhou rocket lifts off on first commercial mission. Spaceflight Now. 9 January 2017. 9 January 2017.
  11. 1517875144751861761 . China Spaceflight . CNSpaceflight . In a summary of "other" launch vehicles, Kuaizhou-11 of CASIC was labeled "retired". [...] . 23 April 2022.
  12. Web site: 新型"太空快递员"运力再升级，快舟十一号计划年底发射 . The capacity of the new "space courier" has been upgraded, and Kuaizhou 11 is scheduled to launch at the end of the year . 25 November 2022 . 25 November 2022.
  13. Web site: Todd . David . Kuaizhou-11 returns to operational status with launch of Jiaotong VDES . Seradata . 7 December 2022 . 7 December 2022.
  14. https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau/kuaizhou-11.htm Kuaizhou-11 (KZ-11) Gunter's Space Page
  15. Web site: New rocket readies for liftoff in 2016. www.spacedaily.com. 10 November 2015.
  16. Web site: Kuai Zhou (Fast Vessel). China Space Report. March 10, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180311141059/https://chinaspacereport.com/launch-vehicles/kuaizhou/. March 11, 2018. dead.
  17. Web site: TSE - Kuaizhou.
  18. Web site: 快舟十一号小型固体运载火箭(KZ-11)：推迟到2018年首飞. zh. Kuaizhou 11 small solid launch vehicle (KZ-11): First flight planned for 2018. October 30, 2017. March 10, 2018. 27 July 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180727145721/https://www.chinaspaceflight.com/rocket/KZ-11/KZ-11.html. dead.
  19. Web site: Kuaizhou-1 . Gunter's Space Page . Gunter . Krebs . 21 May 2024.
  20. Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: Web site: Kuaizhou-1A Launch . YouTube. 14 January 2017 .
  21. News: Kuaizhou-11 to send six satellites into space. https://web.archive.org/web/20180307215219/http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2017-08/30/c_136568503.htm. dead. 7 March 2018. Xin. Zhou. Xinhua . 30 October 2017. 10 March 2018.
  22. Web site: The new Kuaizhou-1A has larger upper stages, 1.2m to 1.4m, and wider fairings, 1.4m to 1.8m. LEO capacity increases to 450kg from 300kg 500km SSO to 360kg from 260kg 500km 45° to 500kg from 390kg 700km SSO to >300kg from 200kg Upper stage is restartable, good for ride-sharing . X . CNSpaceflight . 4 December 2024.
  23. Web site: The new Kuaizhou-1A has larger upper stages, 1.2m to 1.4m, and wider fairings, 1.4m to 1.8m. LEO capacity increases to 450kg from 300kg 500km SSO to 360kg from 260kg 500km 45° to 500kg from 390kg 700km SSO to >300kg from 200kg Upper stage is restartable, good for ride-sharing . X . CNSpaceflight . 4 December 2024.
  24. Web site: The new Kuaizhou-1A has larger upper stages, 1.2m to 1.4m, and wider fairings, 1.4m to 1.8m. LEO capacity increases to 450kg from 300kg 500km SSO to 360kg from 260kg 500km 45° to 500kg from 390kg 700km SSO to >300kg from 200kg Upper stage is restartable, good for ride-sharing . X . CNSpaceflight . 4 December 2024.
  25. Web site: Next Launch. twitter.com. 10 July 2020.
  26. News: China to test large solid-fuel rocket engine. . December 25, 2017. March 10, 2018.
  27. Web site: KL-Alpha A, KL-Alpha B Mission (Kuaizhou 1A) - RocketLaunch.Live. www.rocketlaunch.live. 17 October 2022.
  28. Web site: Barbosa. Rui C.. China conducts double Kuaizhou-1A launch from Taiyuan. NASASpaceFlight.com. 7 December 2019. 7 December 2019.
  29. Web site: Barbosa. Rui C.. Kuaizhou-1A lofts Yinhe-1 for China. NASASpaceFlight.com. 16 January 2020. 16 January 2020.
  30. Web site: First two smallsats launched for Chinese data relay constellation. Spaceflight Now. 12 May 2011. 12 May 2020.
  31. Web site: New Chinese satellite launcher fails on first flight . spaceflightnow.com. Spaceflight Now. 10 July 2020. 10 July 2020.
  32. Web site: Chinese smallsat launcher fails. Clark. Stephen . Spaceflight Now. 13 September 2020. 14 September 2020.
  33. Web site: Corbett. Tobias. Chinese KZ-1A returns to flight and lofts new remote sensing satellite into orbit. NASASpaceFlight.com. 27 September 2021. 28 September 2021.
  34. Web site: 【TBD】快舟一号甲 • 吉林一号遥感卫星星座 • 高分02-F星 • Kuaizhou-1A • Jinlin-1(Gaofen02-F). spaceflightfans.cn. 14 February 2021. 30 April 2021. zh. 11 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210711014042/http://www.spaceflightfans.cn/event/kuaizhou-1a-rocket-launch-jilin-1-gaofen-02f-satellite. dead.
  35. Web site: 我国成功发射试验十一号卫星 . Our country successfully launched the Shiyan-11 satellite . . 25 November 2021 . 25 November 2021 . zh.
  36. Web site: Launch of GeeSAT commercial satellites fails. Xinhua. 25 November 2021. 15 December 2021.
  37. Web site: China launches new test satellite . . 22 June 2022 . 22 June 2022.
  38. Web site: Davenport . Justin . Kuaizhou-1A, Chang Zheng 2D launches highlight busy China week in spaceflight . . 24 August 2022 . 25 August 2022.
  39. Web site: Davenport . Justin . 6 September 2022 . China launches twice in under two hours and conducts spacewalk . 6 September 2022 . NASASpaceFlight.
  40. Web site: China launches two new experimental satellites . . 25 September 2022 . 25 September 2022.
  41. Web site: Jones . Andrew . Private Chinese rocket reaches orbit 2 years after test-flight failure . . 7 December 2022 . 8 December 2022.
  42. Web site: 中国成功发射天目一号气象星座03~06星 . China successfully launched satellites 03~06 of the Tianmu-1 meteorological constellation . zh . China News . 22 March 2023 . 22 March 2023.
  43. Web site: Andrew . Jones . China's first stackable satellite reaches orbit on solid rocket launch . 9 June 2023 . spacenews.com. 9 June 2023 .
  44. China 'N Asia Spaceflight . CNSpaceflight . 1681888260203900929 . Kuaizhou-1A launched Tianmu-1 07~10 satellites from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center at ~03:20UTC on July 20 . 20 July 2023.
  45. Web site: China's Kuaizhou-1A rocket launches five new satellites . 14 August 2023 . 14 August 2023 . Xinhua.
  46. Web site: China launches four meteorological satellites . 25 December 2023 . 25 December 2023 . Xinhua.
  47. Web site: China launches four meteorological satellites . 27 December 2023 . 27 December 2023 . Xinhua.
  48. Web site: China launches four meteorological satellites . 5 January 2024 . 5 January 2024 . Xinhua.
  49. Web site: China launches test satellite using Kuaizhou-1A carrier rocket . 11 January 2024 . 11 January 2024 . Xinhua.
  50. Web site: China's Kuaizhou-11 Y4 rocket launches 4 new satellites . 21 May 2024 . 21 May 2024 . Xinhua.
  51. Web site: China launches new Tianqi constellation satellites . 20 September 2024 . 20 September 2024 . Xinhua.
  52. Web site: China launches new remote-sensing satellite . 4 December 2024 . 4 December 2024 . Xinhua.

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