Six satellites in one launch vehicle! China’s largest solid-propellent launch vehicle with the largest capacity to date, “Kinetica-1”, successfully made its inaugural flight
2020.7.22
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On July 27, 2022, at 12:12 a.m., the “Kinetica-1” launch vehicle, developed by CAS Space, was successfully launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre, successfully placing six satellites into predetermined orbits by means of “six satellites in one launch vehicle”. The first mission of “Kinetica-1” launch vehicle was a complete success, and as the preferred choice for small and medium-sized satellite launches, it has enriched the spectrum of China’s solid-propellent launch vehicle launch capability.
The “Kinetica-1” launch vehicle is another innovative project of the booming commercial space economy. Facing the development needs of space science and space technology, guided by the idea of “engineering science,” the vehicle is an innovative, advanced, and economical launch vehicle while its design process promotes a novel mode of development and the promotion of space science for peaceful use.
The “Kinetica-1” launch vehicle is the first solid-propellent launch vehicle developed by and completely proprietary to the CAS Space and is the largest solid launch vehicle in China while entering the advanced ranks of solid launch vehicles in the world in terms of payload capacity, orbit insertion accuracy, design reliability, and cost performance. The rocket is a four-stage solid launch vehicle with a takeoff mass of 135 tonnes, a takeoff thrust of 200 tonnes, an overall length of 30 meters, a core stage diameter of 2.65 meters, a fairing diameter of 2.65 meters in the first flight configuration, and a 500-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit carrying capacity of 1,500 kilograms.
During the development of the “Kinetica-1” launch vehicle, the leading team of engineers adhered to the design concept of “innovation, innovation, and innovation again”, breaking through a number of major key technologies, such as the overall optimized design and test technology of large-tonnage solid launch vehicles, advanced power system and thrust vector control technology, centralized-distributed modern aerospace electronics technology, low-cost structure and separation technology, intelligent flight control technology, ground use of large-tonnage solid rockets and hot launch technology. Through the innovation of the research paradigm, our space pros have realized efficient and low-cost agile development and made essential contributions to the development process.
The “Kinetica-1” launch vehicle has a series of outstanding advantages, such as large launch capacity, high-accuracy orbit insertion, high inherent reliability, fast response time, high launch efficiency, low logistical requirements, low launch cost, flexible and convenient use, good environmental adaptability, etc. It is, therefore, suitable for medium/small satellite payloads in medium/low orbit and rapid network launch at low cost.
The launch mission carries a total of six civilian scientific satellites, which are the Space New Technology Test Satellite, the Orbital Atmospheric Density Detection Test Satellite, the Low Orbit Quantum Key Distribution Test Satellite, the Electromagnetic Assembly Test Double Satellites developed by the Innovation Academy for Microsatellites of Chinese Academy of Science and the Nan Yue Science Satellite developed by the Shanghai SastSpace Technology Co., Ltd. The Space New Technology Test Satellite is a generalizable, scalable and fast-responding new space technology test satellite platform that will carry out experiments on new space science payloads.
Note: The Lijian series is also known as “Kinetica”, and designations of “PR” or “ ZK” have been used in various literature.
