# Kuaizhou

Kuaizhou (KZ, Chinese: 快舟; pinyin: kuàizhōu, meaning "speedy vessel") (also called Feitian Emergency Satellite Launch System, Feitian-1, FT-1) 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 (and successful second flight in 2022), is a larger model able to launch a 1,500 kg (3,300 lb) 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 (CASIC), as their commercial launch vehicles.

## History

The rocket series is based on CASIC's Anti-satellite weapon (ASAT) and BMD mid-course interceptor rockets, in particular the DF-21 Intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) (another Chinese rocket that was based on DF-21 was the Kaituozhe-1). Development on the KZ launch vehicles started in 2009. The Kuaizhou launch vehicles 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 launch vehicle is operated by the PLA Rocket Force.
The maiden flight of Kuaizhou 1 launch vehicle, orbiting the Kuaizhou 1 natural disaster monitoring satellite, occurred on 25 September 2013, launched from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.
Second flight of Kuaizhou 1 launch vehicle, 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 Satellite Launch Center. It placed three small satellites into a polar orbit.
The maiden launch of Kuaizhou 11 was on 10 July 2020. The launch was a failure, and the rocket was initially declared retired in April 2022, but later that year it was revealed that a second launch was planned for December. The successful launch of Kuaizhou 11 on 7 December 2022 marked the rocket's return to service.

## 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 launch vehicle and stored in a maintenance facility. Once needed, the launch vehicle is deployed by a Transporter erector launcher (TEL) vehicle to a secure location. Launch readiness time can be as short as several hours.

### Models

| Rocket | First launch | Last Launch | Payload fairing size | Payload to LEO | Payload to SSO | Lift-off mass | Length | Diameter | Payload cost |
| Kuaizhou 1 (KZ-1) | 25 September 2013 | 21 November 2014 | | | 430 kg (950 lb) (500 km) | 30–32 tonnes | 19.4 m (64 ft) | 1.4 m (4 ft 7 in) | |
| Kuaizhou 1A (KZ-1A) | 9 January 2017 | 20 September 2024 | 1.2–1.4 m (3 ft 11 in – 4 ft 7 in) | 400 kg (880 lb) | 250 kg (550 lb) (500 km) 200 kg (440 lb) (700 km) | 30 tonnes, TEL-capable | 19.4 m (64 ft) | 1.4 m (4 ft 7 in) | $20,000/kg ($9,100/lb) |
| Kuaizhou 1A Pro (KZ-1A Pro) | 4 December 2024 | | 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in) | 450 kg (990 lb) | 360 kg (790 lb) (500 km) | | | 1.4 m (4 ft 7 in) | |
| Kuaizhou 11 (KZ-11) | 10 July 2020 | | 2.2–2.6 m (7 ft 3 in – 8 ft 6 in) | 1,500 kg (3,300 lb) | 1,000 kg (2,200 lb) (700 km) | 78 tonnes, TEL-capable | | 2.2 m (7 ft 3 in) | $10,000/kg ($4,500/lb) |
| Kuaizhou 21 (KZ-21) | 2025 (projected) | | | 20,000 kg (44,000 lb) | | | | 4 m (13 ft) | |
| Kuaizhou 31 (KZ-31) | (TBD) | | | 70,000 kg (150,000 lb) | | | | 4 m (13 ft) (engines) | |

## List of launches

| Flight No. | Date (UTC) | Launch site | Version; Flight number | Payload | Orbit | Result |
| 1 | 25 September 2013 04:37 | Jiuquan, LS-95A | Kuaizhou 1 Y1 | Kuaizhou 1 | SSO | Success |
| 2 | 21 November 2014 06:37 | Jiuquan, LS-95B | Kuaizhou 1 Y2 | Kuaizhou 2 | SSO | Success |
| 3 | 9 January 2017 04:11 | Jiuquan, LS-95A | Kuaizhou 1A Y1 | Jilin-1-03 | SSO | Success |
| 4 | 29 September 2018 04:13 | Jiuquan, LS-95A | Kuaizhou 1A Y8 | Centispace 1-S1 | SSO | Success |
| 5 | 30 August 2019 23:41 | Jiuquan, LS-95A | Kuaizhou 1A Y10 | KX-09 | SSO | Success |
| 6 | 13 November 2019 03:40 | Jiuquan, LS-95A | Kuaizhou 1A Y11 | Jilin-1-02A | SSO | Success |
| 7 | 17 November 2019 09:52 | Jiuquan, LS-95A | Kuaizhou 1A Y7 | KL-Alpha A and B | LEO | Success |
| 8 | 7 December 2019 02:55 | Taiyuan, LC-16 | Kuaizhou 1A Y2 | Jilin-1-02B | SSO | Success |
| 9 | 7 December 2019 08:52 | Taiyuan, LC-16 | Kuaizhou 1A Y12 | HEAD-2 A/B, SPACETY-16/17, Tianqi-4 A/B | SSO | Success |
| 10 | 16 January 2020 03:02 | Jiuquan, LS-95A | Kuaizhou 1A Y9 | Yinhe-1 | LEO | Success |
| 11 | 12 May 2020 01:16 | Jiuquan, LS-95A | Kuaizhou 1A Y6 | Xingyun 2-01 and Xingyun 2-02 | LEO | Success |
| 12 | 10 July 2020 04:17 | Jiuquan, LS-95A | Kuaizhou 11 Y1 | Jilin-1-02E and Centispace-1-S2 | SSO | Failure |
| 13 | 12 September 2020 05:02 | Jiuquan, LS-95A | Kuaizhou 1A Y3 | Jilin-1 Gaofen-02C | SSO | Failure |
| 14 | 27 September 2021 06:19 | Jiuquan, LS-95A | Kuaizhou 1A Y4 | Jilin-1 Gaofen-02D | SSO | Success |
| 15 | 27 October 2021 06:19 | Jiuquan, LS-95A | Kuaizhou 1A Y5 | Jilin-1 Gaofen-02F | SSO | Success |
| 16 | 24 November 2021 23:41 | Jiuquan, LS-95A | Kuaizhou 1A Y13 | Shiyan 11 | SSO | Success |
| 17 | 15 December 2021 02:00 | Jiuquan, LS-95A | Kuaizhou 1A Y17 | GeeSAT-1A/1B | LEO | Failure |
| 18 | 22 June 2022 02:08 | Jiuquan, LS-95A | Kuaizhou 1A Y23 | Tianxing-1 | LEO | Success |
| 19 | 23 August 2022 02:36 | Xichang | Kuaizhou 1A Y15 | Chuangxin-16 A/B | LEO | Success |
| 20 | 6 September 2022 02:24 | Jiuquan, LS-95A | Kuaizhou 1A Y16 | Centispace 1-S3/S4 | LEO | Success |
| 21 | 24 September 2022 22:55 | Taiyuan, LC-16 | Kuaizhou 1A Y14 | Shiyan 14/Shiyan 15 | SSO | Success |
| 22 | 7 December 2022 01:15 | Jiuquan, LS-95A | Kuaizhou 11 Y2 | Xingyun Jiaotong VDES | SSO | Success |
| 23 | 22 March 2023 09:09 | Jiuquan, LS-95A | Kuaizhou 1A Y19 | Tianmu-1 03–06 | SSO | Success |
| 24 | 9 June 2023 02:35 | Jiuquan, LS-95A | Kuaizhou 1A Y20 | Longjiang-3 | LEO | Success |
| 25 | 20 July 2023 03:20 | Jiuquan, LS-95A | Kuaizhou 1A Y22 | Tianmu-1 07–10 | SSO | Success |
| 26 | 14 August 2023 05:32 | Xichang (Mobile Launcher Pad) | Kuaizhou 1A Y21 | Jiaotong 06–10 (HEAD 3A–3E) | LEO | Success |
| 27 | 25 December 2023 01:00 | Jiuquan, LS-95A | Kuaizhou 1A Y26 | Tianmu-1 11–14 | SSO | Success |
| 28 | 27 December 2023 06:50 | Jiuquan, LS-95A | Kuaizhou 1A Y27 | Tianmu-1 19–22 | SSO | Success |
| 29 | 5 January 2024 11:20 | Jiuquan, LS-95A | Kuaizhou 1A Y28 | Tianmu-1 15–18 | SSO | Success |
| 30 | 11 January 2024 03:52 | Jiuquan, LS-95A | Kuaizhou 1A Y24 | Tianxing-1 02 | SSO | Success |
| 31 | 21 May 2024 04:15 | Jiuquan, LS-95B | Kuaizhou 11 Y4 | Wuhan-1, VLEO test satellite, Tianyan-22, Lingque-3-01 | SSO | Success |
| 32 | 20 September 2024 09:43 | Xichang, (Mobile Launcher Pad) | Kuaizhou 1A Y31 | Tianqi 29-32 (4 satellites) | LEO | Success |
| 33 | 4 December 2024 04:46 | Xichang, (Mobile Launcher Pad) | Kuaizhou 1A Pro Y30 | Haishao-1 | LEO | Success |
| 34 | 1 March 2025 10:00 | Jiuquan, LS-95A | Kuaizhou 1A Y33 | Unknown Payload | SSO | Failure |

## Launch Statistics
### Kuaizhou configurations

* Kuaizhou 1
* Kuaizhou 1A
* Kuaizhou 11

### Launch sites

* Jiuquan
* Xichang
* Taiyuan

### Launch outcomes

* Success
* Partial failure
* Failure
* Planned