Kuaizhou 1A

Active

ExPace (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 2016

ExPace 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 | China
Jiuquan 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.

Low Earth Orbit
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Kuaizhou 1A | PRSC-S1

ExPace | China
Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
July 31, 2025, 2 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:

Chinese built Earth observation satellite for Pakistan’s SUPARCO (Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission).

Low Earth Orbit
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Kuaizhou 1A | Unknown Payload

ExPace | China
Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
March 1, 2025, 10 a.m.
Status: Launch Failure
Mission:

Details TBD.

Unknown
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Kuaizhou 1A | Haishao-1

ExPace | China
Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
Dec. 4, 2024, 4:46 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:

Synthetic-aperture radar Earth observation satellite from the Chinese Academy of Sciences to observe dynamics properties of oceans.

Low Earth Orbit
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Kuaizhou 1A | Tianqi 29-32

ExPace | China
Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
Sept. 20, 2024, 9:43 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:

4 small satellites for LEO Internet of Things (IoT) communication purposes.

Low Earth Orbit
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Kuaizhou 1A | Tianxing-1-02

ExPace | China
Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
Jan. 11, 2024, 3:52 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:

Satellite reported as for "spatial environment measurement" purposes. Actual usage TBD.

Sun-Synchronous Orbit
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Kuaizhou 1A | Tianmu-1 15-18

ExPace | China
Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
Jan. 5, 2024, 11:20 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:

Small meteorology research satellites using GNSS radio occultation by CASIC subsidiary Xiyong Microelectronics Park.

Sun-Synchronous Orbit
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Kuaizhou 1A | Tianmu-1 19-22

ExPace | China
Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
Dec. 27, 2023, 6:50 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:

Small meteorology research satellites using GNSS radio occultation by CASIC subsidiary Xiyong Microelectronics Park.

Sun-Synchronous Orbit
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Kuaizhou 1A | Tianmu-1 11-14

ExPace | China
Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
Dec. 25, 2023, 1 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:

Small meteorology research satellites using GNSS radio occultation by CASIC subsidiary Xiyong Microelectronics Park.

Sun-Synchronous Orbit
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Kuaizhou 1A | HEAD-3A/B/C/D/E

ExPace | China
Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
Aug. 14, 2023, 5:32 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:

5 commercial ship/traffic AIS tracking satellites.

Low Earth Orbit
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Kuaizhou 1A | Tianmu-1 07-10

ExPace | China
Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
July 20, 2023, 3:20 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:

Small meteorology research satellites using GNSS radio occultation by CASIC subsidiary Xiyong Microelectronics Park.

Sun-Synchronous Orbit
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Kuaizhou 1A | Longjiang 3

ExPace | China
Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
June 9, 2023, 2:35 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:

Low Earth Orbit prototype communication satellite by Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT), to test a new satellite platform in the shape of a plate for future LEO communication satellite constellations uses.

Low Earth Orbit
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Kuaizhou 1A | Tianmu-1 03-06

ExPace | China
Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
March 22, 2023, 9:09 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:

Small meteorology research satellites using GNSS radio occultation by CASIC subsidiary Xiyong Microelectronics Park. 01 & 02 were launched on Galactic Energy’s Ceres-1 on January 9, 2023.

Sun-Synchronous Orbit
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Kuaizhou 1A | Shiyan 14 & Shiyan 15

ExPace | China
Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
Sept. 24, 2022, 10:55 p.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:

2 Chinese classified satellites.

Sun-Synchronous Orbit
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Kuaizhou 1A | CentiSpace-1 S3 & S4

ExPace | China
Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
Sept. 6, 2022, 2:24 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:

CentiSpace-1 S3 and S4 are Chinese commercial small satellites by Beijing-based company Future Navigation for providing GNSS augmentation signals services from LEO. They are precursors to a planned 160 satellites constellation.

Low Earth Orbit
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Kuaizhou 1A | Chuangxin-16

ExPace | China
Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
Aug. 23, 2022, 2:36 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:

2 satellites of unknown purposes built by Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Low Earth Orbit
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Kuaizhou 1A | Tianxing-1

ExPace | China
Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
June 22, 2022, 2:08 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:

Satellite reported as for "spatial environment measurement" purposes. Actual usage TBD.

Sun-Synchronous Orbit
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Kuaizhou 1A | GeeSat x2

ExPace | China
Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
Dec. 15, 2021, 2 a.m.
Status: Launch Failure
Mission:

Commercial navigation satellites for automobile navigation.

Low Earth Orbit
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Kuaizhou 1A | Shiyan 11

ExPace | China
Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
Nov. 24, 2021, 11:41 p.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:

Unknown Chinese satellite reported for technology development purposes.

Sun-Synchronous Orbit
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Kuaizhou 1A | Jilin-1-02F

ExPace | China
Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
Oct. 27, 2021, 6:19 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:

Jilin-1 is a series of Chinese commercial remote sensing satellites.

Sun-Synchronous Orbit
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Kuaizhou 1A | Jilin-1-02D

ExPace | China
Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
Sept. 27, 2021, 6:19 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:

Jilin-1 is a series of Chinese commercial remote sensing satellites.

Sun-Synchronous Orbit
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Kuaizhou 1A | Jilin-1-02C

ExPace | China
Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
Sept. 12, 2020, 5:02 a.m.
Status: Launch Failure
Mission:

Jilin-1 is a series of Chinese commercial remote sensing satellites.

Sun-Synchronous Orbit
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Kuaizhou 1A | Xingyun-2 01, 02

ExPace | China
Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
May 12, 2020, 1:16 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:

Xingyun-2 01 and 02 are the first two satellites of the planned low Earth orbit constellation being built by Xingyun Satellite company, whichi is a subsidiary of CASIC. These satellites will be used to provide Internet of Things (IoT) communications services. Xingyun constellation is planned to consist of 156 satellites in total.

Sun-Synchronous Orbit
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Kuaizhou 1A | Yinhe-1

ExPace | China
Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
Jan. 16, 2020, 3:02 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:

Yinhe 1 is technology demonstration mission for the planned 144 satellite global 5G communications constellation which is to be built by Chinese Galaxy Space company.

Polar Orbit
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Kuaizhou 1A | HEAD-2A, 2B & Tianyi-16, 17 & Tianqi-4A, 4B

ExPace | China
Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
Dec. 7, 2019, 8:52 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Unknown Mission

There are no mission or payload details available for this launch.


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Kuaizhou 1A | Jilin-1-02B

ExPace | China
Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
Dec. 7, 2019, 2:55 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:

Jilin-1 is a series of Chinese commercial remote sensing satellites.


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Kuaizhou 1A | KL-Alpha

ExPace | China
Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
Nov. 17, 2019, 10 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Unknown Mission

There are no mission or payload details available for this launch.


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Kuaizhou 1A | Jilin-1-02A

ExPace | China
Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
Nov. 13, 2019, 3:40 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:

Jilin-1 is a series of Chinese commercial remote sensing satellites.


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Kuaizhou 1A | KX-09 & TY-1-07 (Xiaoxiang-1-07)

ExPace | China
Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
Aug. 30, 2019, 11:41 p.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:

Developed by the DFH Satellite Co., the microgravity experimental satellite KX-09 (supposedly Kuxue-09) will conduct studies in microgravity. Established in August 2001, DFH Satellite Co., Ltd. is mainly engaged in system R&D, design, integration and in-orbit service of small satellites. It is subordinated to China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) and wholly owned by the listed company China Spacesat Co., Ltd. Xiaoxiang 1-07 (TY 1-07) is a small satellite developed by SpaceTY, possibly a CubeSat-2U. As one of the first commercial aerospace companies in China, “Spacety” specializes in developing commercial micro/nanosatellites. The company aims to provide short-cycle, low-cost and one-stop services to scientists, research institutes, and commercial companies, for science experiments and technology demonstrations.

Sun-Synchronous Orbit
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Kuaizhou 1A | Centispace-1-S1

ExPace | China
Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
Sept. 29, 2018, 4:13 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:

CentiSpace-1-S1 is an experimental satellite to test navigation and and positioning enhancement system being developed by Beijing Future Navigation Technology Co., Ltd.

Sun-Synchronous Orbit
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Kuaizhou 1A | Multiple payloads

ExPace | China
Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
Jan. 9, 2017, 4:11 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:

Lingqiao (or known as Jilin 1) is a small remote sensing satellite designed to capture videos with a ground resolution of 1.3 m. This is a third satellite of the Lingqiao series.

Sun-Synchronous Orbit
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Falcon 9
Success
5 hours, 21 minutes ago
Starlink Group 10-24
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.


Kinetica 1
Success
10 hours, 51 minutes ago
8 x Jilin-1
Launch Area 130 - Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

8 Earth observation satellites for the Jilin-1 commercial Earth observation satellites constellation: * High Resolution-07A 02-04 * High Resoluti…


Falcon 9
Success
3 days, 3 hours ago
Cygnus CRS-2 NG-24 (S.S. Steven R. Nagel)
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

This is the 24th flight of the Orbital ATK's uncrewed resupply spacecraft Cygnus and its 23rd flight to the International Space Station under the Com…


Smart Dragon 3
Success
3 days, 3 hours ago
SatNet test satellite
South China Sea (launch location 3) - Haiyang Oriental Spaceport

Officially described as "Satellite-Internet Technology Demonstration Satellite". Probable 1 (?) test satellite for the Chinese state-owned LEO commun…


Falcon 9
Success
3 days, 9 hours ago
Starlink Group 17-21
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 25 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.