Kuaizhou

Kuaizhou (KZ, Chinese: 快舟; pinyin: kuàizhōu, meaning "speedy vessel")[1] (also called Feitian Emergency Satellite Launch System, Feitian-1, FT-1)[2][3][4] 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.[5] Kuaizhou 11, planned for 2020, is a larger model able to launch a 1,500 kilograms (3,300 lb) payload into low Earth orbit. Heavy-lift models KZ-21 and KZ-31 are in development.[6] The Kuaizhou series of rockets is manufactured by ExPace, a subsidiary of China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC), as their commercial launch vehicles.[7][8]

History

The rocket series is based on CASIC's ASAT and BMD mid-course interceptor rockets, in particular the DF-21 IRBM (another Chinese rocket that was based on DF-21 was the Kaituozhe-1). Development on the KZ rockets started in 2009. The KZ rockets 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 rocket is operated by the Chinese 2nd Artillery.[7][9][5]

The maiden flight of Kuaizhou 1 rocket, orbiting the Kuaizhou 1 natural disaster monitoring satellite, occurred on 25 September 2013, launched from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.[10]

Second flight of Kuaizhou 1 rocket, orbiting the Kuaizhou 2 natural disaster monitoring satellite, was launched at 06:37 UTC on 21 November 2014, again from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.[5][1]

The first commercial launch inaugurated the Kuaizhou 1A version on 9 January 2017, from Jiuquan. It placed three small satellites into a polar orbit.[11]

Specifications

The solid-fuel KZ-1A can place 200 kg payload into a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 700 kilometers. Planned KZ-11[12] version would be able to put 1-metric-ton to the same orbit

Launch preparations are designed to take very little time, and the launch can be conducted on rough terrain.[8]

The rocket's low requirements for launch help with cost savings, yielding a launch price under $10,000 per kilogram of payload. This price level is very competitive in the international market.[9]

Satellites can be installed on a Kuaizhou rocket and stored in a maintenance facility. Once needed, the rocket is deployed by a transporter-erector-launcher vehicle (TEL) to a secure location. Launch readiness time can be as short as several hours.[13][4]

Models
Rocket First launch Payload fairing size Payload to LEO Payload to SSO Lift-off mass Length Diameter Thrust Payload cost
Kuaizhou 1
(KZ-1)		 25 September 2013 430 kg (950 lb) (500 km)[5][14][15][16] 30–32 tonnes[5] 19.4 m (64 ft) 1.4 m (4 ft 7 in)
Kuaizhou 1A
(KZ-1A)		 9 January 2017 (UTC) 1.2–1.4 m (3 ft 11 in–4 ft 7 in)[17] 300 kg (660 lb) [18] 250 kg (550 lb) (500 km)
200 kg (440 lb) (700 km)[17]		 30 tonnes, TEL-capable[14] 19.4 m (64 ft)[17] 1.4 m (4 ft 7 in)[17] $20,000/kg ($9,100/lb)[19]
Kuaizhou 11
(KZ-11)		 2020 (planned) [12][20] 2.2–2.6 m (7 ft 3 in–8 ft 6 in)[17] 1,500 kg (3,300 lb) 1,000 kg (2,200 lb) (700 km)[17] 78 tonnes,[17] TEL-capable[14] 2.2 m (7 ft 3 in)[17] $10,000/kg ($4,500/lb)[9]
Kuaizhou 21
(KZ-21)		 2025 (projected)[14] 20,000 kg (44,000 lb)[6] 4 m (13 ft)[6]
Kuaizhou 31
(KZ-31)		 In development 70,000 kg (150,000 lb)[6] 4 m (13 ft) (engines)[6]

List of launches
Flight No. Date (UTC) Launch site Version Payload Orbit Result
1 25 September 2013
04:37 [10]		 Jiuquan, LA-4 Kuaizhou 1 Kuaizhou 1 SSO Success
2 21 November 2014
06:37 [5]		 Jiuquan, LA-4 Kuaizhou 1 Kuaizhou 2 SSO Success
3 9 January 2017
04:11		 Jiuquan, LA-4 Kuaizhou 1A Jilin-1-03 SSO Success
4 29 September 2018
04:13 [21]		 Jiuquan, LA-4 Kuaizhou 1A Centispace 1-S1 SSO Success
5 30 August 2019
23:41		 Jiuquan, LA-4 Kuaizhou 1A CAS KX-09 SSO Success
6 13 November 2019
03:40		 Jiuquan, LA-4 Kuaizhou 1A Jilin-1-02A High-resolution SSO Success
7 17 November 2019
09:52 [22]		 Jiuquan, LA-4 Kuaizhou 1A KL-Alpha A/B LEO Success
8 7 December 2019
02:55 [23]		 Taiyuan, Kuaizhou 1A Jilin-1-02B High-resolution SSO Success
9 7 December 2019
08:52 [23]		 Taiyuan, LA-16 Kuaizhou 1A HEAD-2 A/B, SPACETY-16/17, Tianqi-4 A/B SSO Success
10 16 January 2020
03:02 [24]		 Jiuquan, LA-4 Kuaizhou 1A Yinhe-1 LEO Success
11 12 May 2020
01:16 [25]		 Jiuquan, LA-4 Kuaizhou 1A Xingyun 2-01 and Xingyun 2-02 LEO Success

See also

References
  1. Clark, Stephen (21 November 2014). "China launches for the second time in 24 hours". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 22 November 2014.
  2. "Kuaizhou-1 (KZ-1) / Fei Tian 1".
  3. "Chinese Kuaizhou-1A rocket launches several small satellites". 9 January 2017.
  4. "China Unveils New Rocket, People Get Real Curious About What It's for". 13 November 2014.
  5. Barbosa, Rui C. (21 November 2014). "China launches Kuaizhou-2 in second launch within 24 hours". NASASpaceFlight.com. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  6. "China to test large solid-fuel rocket engine". China Daily. 25 December 2017. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  7. Keane, Phillip (20 September 2016). "ExPace, China's Very Own SpaceX". Asian Scientist.
  8. "First commercial space base to be built in Wuhan". SpaceDaily. 14 September 2016.
  9. Lin, Jeffrey; Singer, P.W. (7 October 2016). "China's Private Space Industry Prepares To Compete With SpaceX And Blue Origin". Popular Science. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  10. "China launches satellite to monitor natural disaster". Xinhua. 25 September 2013.
  11. Clark, Stephen (9 January 2017). "Kuaizhou rocket lifts off on first commercial mission". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
  12. Gunter's space page: Kuaizhou-11 (KZ-11)
  13. "New rocket readies for liftoff in 2016". SpaceDaily. 10 November 2015.
  14. "Kuai Zhou (Fast Vessel)". China Space Report. Archived from the original on 11 March 2018. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  15. http://spaceflights.news/?launch=kuaizhou-1-•-jilin-1
  16. "TSE - Kuaizhou".
  17. "快舟十一号小型固体运载火箭(KZ-11)：推迟到2018年首飞" [Kuaizhou 11 small solid launch vehicle (KZ-11): First flight planned for 2018] (in Chinese). 30 October 2017. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  18. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtdoZv58kI8
  19. Zhou, Xin (30 October 2017). "Kuaizhou-11 to send six satellites into space". Xinhua. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  20. "快舟十一号 • 一箭六星 • 该型号火箭首飞" [Kuaizhou 11 maiden flight with six satellites] (in Chinese). 4 January 2020. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  21. Pietrobon, Steven (25 August 2018). "Chinese Launch Manifest". Retrieved 25 August 2018.
  22. "KL-Alpha A, KL-Alpha B Mission (Kuaizhou 1A) - RocketLaunch.Live".
  23. Barbosa, Rui C. (7 December 2019). "China conducts double Kuaizhou-1A launch from Taiyuan". NASASpaceflight.com. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
  24. Barbosa, Rui C. (16 January 2020). "Kuaizhou-1A lofts Yinhe-1 for China". NASASpaceflight.com. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  25. "First two smallsats launched for Chinese data relay constellation". spaceflightnow.com. 12 May 2011. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
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