Chutian-2 01 & 02

Overview

Destination: Sun-Synchronous Orbit
Mission: Earth Science

Sun-Synchronous Orbit Launch Area 130 Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

2 satellites built by the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) for testing operations of Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO) satellites for Earth observation purposes.

Updates

Cosmic_Penguin • Nov. 9, 2025, 4:10 a.m.

Launch success.


Cosmic_Penguin • Nov. 7, 2025, 2:11 a.m.

Moved back up to November 9 per NOTAMs.


Cosmic_Penguin • Nov. 6, 2025, 7:53 a.m.

Delayed to November 14 per new NOTAMs.


Cosmic_Penguin • Nov. 3, 2025, 5:35 a.m.

Added launch per NOTAMs; Payload identities uncertain.


Kinetica 1

Family:
Configuration:

Kinetica 1 (also known as Lijian-1, Chinese: 力箭一号) is a Chinese solid-propellant light launch vehicle. It is capable of placing about 2 tons into low earth orbit and 1.5 tons into sun-synchronous orbit. It is developed by CAS Space, a subsidiary of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Kinetica 1 is a light launcher whose first stage seems to be derived from the DF-31 long-range intercontinental ballistic missile. It is 30 m high and has a diameter of 2.65 m, with a liftoff mass of 135 t. It's the largest Chinese solid propellant launcher to date, with four stages with a thrust of 200, 100, 50 and 10 tons respectively. The fairing has a diameter of 3.35 meters.

See Details
Specifications
  • Stages
    4
  • Length
    30.0 m
  • Diameter
    2.65 m
  • Fairing Diameter
    3.35 m
  • Launch Mass
    135.0 T
  • Thrust
    1961.0 kN
Family
  • Name
    Kinetica 1
  • Family
  • Variant
  • Alias
  • Full Name
    Kinetica 1
Payload Capacity
  • Launch Cost
  • Low Earth Orbit
    2000.0 kg
  • Geostationary Transfer Orbit
  • Direct Geostationary
  • Sun-Synchronous Capacity
    1500.0 kg

CAS Space

CAS Space

(CAS)

Founded: 2018 Successes: 9 Failures: 1 Pending: 0

Agency Type:

CAS Space is a spin-off company from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) that is operating and plans to operate various launch vehicles of the Zhongke series.

INFO WIKI

Related News

NASASpaceflight

Launch Roundup: Ariane 6 and New Glenn set to launch during busy week

This week’s launch manifest will feature nine missions launching on seven different rockets, including the… The post Launch Roundup: Ariane 6 and New Glenn set to launch during busy week appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com.

Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Launch Area 130


Kinetica 1
Success
4 hours, 50 minutes ago
Chutian-2 01 & 02
Launch Area 130 - Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

2 satellites built by the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) for testing operations of Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO) satellites f…


Long March 11
Success
11 hours, 21 minutes ago
Shiyan 32 01-03
Oriental Spaceport mobile launch ship - Sea Launch

3 Chinese satellites reported to be for "orbital technological testing" purposes. Actual usage not known.


Falcon 9
Success
2 days, 11 hours ago
Starlink Group 11-14
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 28 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Falcon 9
Success
3 days, 6 hours ago
Starlink Group 6-81
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

A batch of 29 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Electron
Success
3 days, 12 hours ago
The Nation God Navigates (iQPS Launch 5)
Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B - Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand

Synthetic aperture radar Earth observation satellite for Japanese Earth imaging company iQPS.


Ariane 62
Success
4 days, 11 hours ago
Sentinel-1D
Ariane Launch Area 4 - Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana

Sentinel-1D carries an advanced radar technology to provide an all-weather, day-and-night supply of imagery of Earth’s surface as part of the Sentine…


Long March 7A
Success
6 days, 4 hours ago
Yaogan 46
201 - Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China

Classified Earth observation satellite officially reported as for "national resources/hydrology/meteorology surveying & disaster management" purposes.


LVM-3 (GSLV Mk III)
Success
6 days, 20 hours ago
CMS-03 (GSAT-7R)
Satish Dhawan Space Centre Second Launch Pad - Satish Dhawan Space Centre, India

Communications Satellite for the Indian Navy, replacing GSAT-7 for secure real-time links between Indian warships, submarines, aircraft, and shore-ba…


Falcon 9
Success
1 week ago
Bandwagon 4 (Dedicated Mid-Inclination Rideshare)
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

Dedicated rideshare flight to a mid-inclination orbit with dozens of small microsatellites and nanosatellites for commercial and government customers.


Falcon 9
Success
1 week, 1 day ago
Starlink Group 11-23
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 28 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.