Kuaizhou 1A
ActiveExPace (EP)
Jan. 9, 2017
Description
Kuaizhou 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.
Specifications
-
Stages
4 -
Length
19.4 m -
Diameter
1.4 m -
Fairing Diameter
1.4 m -
Launch Mass
30.0 T -
Thrust
―
Family
-
Name
Kuaizhou 1A -
Family
― -
Variant
1A -
Alias
― -
Full Name
Kuaizhou 1A
Payload Capacity
-
Launch Cost
― -
Low Earth Orbit
300.0 kg -
Geostationary Transfer
Orbit
― -
Direct Geostationary
― -
Sun-Synchronous Capacity
250.0 kg
ExPace
Commercial
CEO: Zhang Di
EP 2016ExPace is a Chinese space rocket company based in Wuhan, Hubei, China. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of missileer China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC), a Chinese state-owned company, and serves as its commercial rocket division. ExPace is focused on small satellite launchers to low Earth orbit.
Kuaizhou 1A | Traffic VDES A & B
ExPace | ChinaJiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
Dec. 5, 2025, 9 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:
Two technology demonstration satellites for satellite transmissions of signals for the VHF Data Exchange System (VDES), a successor to the current Automatic Identification System (AIS) on ships and maritime vessels for traffic management at sea with higher bandwidth on new frequencies for secure communications and e-navigation. This project is a joint effort by the China Ministry of Transport's China Transport Telecommunications Information Center and SpaceSail, operator of the Qianfan/G60 constellation.
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