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. Kuaizhou 11, which flew an unsuccessful maiden flight in July 2020, 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, as their commercial launch vehicles.
History
The rocket series is based on CASIC's ASAT and BMD mid-course interceptor rockets, in particular the DF-21 IRBM. 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. The maiden flight of Kuaizhou 1 rocket, orbiting the Kuaizhou 1natural disaster monitoring satellite, occurred on 25 September 2013, launched from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. 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. The first commercial launch inaugurated the Kuaizhou 1A version on 9 January 2017, from Jiuquan. It placed three small satellites into a polar orbit.
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. Launch preparations are designed to take very little time, and the launch can be conducted on rough terrain. 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. 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 to a secure location. Launch readiness time can be as short as several hours.
