Kuaizhou:Launching into the Commercial Aerospace Market

Since the mid-20th century,mankind has explored deeper and deeper into outer space,and the application of exploration achievements has impacted broader and broader areas of human life.Our lives now are more interconnected to outer space than ever.Today,with the multi-dimensional expansion of science and technology,our activities have reached out from a 2-dimensional flat space to a 3-dimensional outer space.In the process,satellites have become an indispensable “third eye” for human beings.

Outer space is a huge market

According to some statistics on aerospace investment,since the Moon landing of the US’s Apollo Program,countries around the world have paid more attention to outer space and invested more in the aerospace industry.These investments are highly concentrated in the rocket and satellite fields.Space experts believe that with successful development and applications of key space technologies,as well as with advancements of new projects and new areas,the size and scope of the space market will continue to expand and will eventually exceed that of other technology industries.

At present,some space technologies and applications have been repeatedly questioned and challenged.Satellites and other space technologies provide a great convenience in people’s lives,whether in the form of navigation,remote sensing,or communications.For example,we know in some places where sudden geological events occurred,governments and agencies could not predict when a disaster would strike or how they occurred and had difficulty formulating an effective rescue plan.A geological disaster can destroy mobile communication stations in a disaster-stricken area:communications in the area are interrupted,and the victims can’t ask for help.Sudden loss of connection can affect airplanes,cars,ships,and other means of transportation.Even in the best of circumstances,communication and navigation services can fail,leaving users lost and unable to seek help.Such countless cases show that while space technologies and applications have made our lives more convenient,our needs have not been fully met for a host of reasons.In the future,the space market will definitely become a great battlefield where commercial companies and entities will develop services and products and engage in competition that fixes the current shortcomings of our satellite-based infrastructure.

Mankind’s imagination is unlimited,and people’s pursuit of dreams is endless.Some people want to experience taking a spaceship out of the atmosphere and see our beautiful Earth with their own eyes from outer space.Some people imagine mining on the Moon or Mars,and some even fancy emigrating to extraterrestrial bodies.With the advancement of science and technology and the improvement of aircraft,any of these wishes could be realized.

Kuaizhou Launch Vehicle AIT (Phase I) 快舟火箭总装总调中心（一期）项目

The cooperation between Kuaizhou Launch Vehicle and The Wandering Earth快舟火箭与电影《流浪地球》合作

Xingyun-2 Satellite行云二号卫星

20世纪中叶以来，人类对太空领域的探索不断深入，而探索成果的运用对人类生活方式的影响也在不断加强，人们的生活行为从地面横向联系展开发展到了由高空引导进行，在科技领域多维立体拓展的当下，人们的生活空间也从平面走向立体，卫星已经成了人们不可或缺的第三只眼睛。

太空领域是个巨大的市场

从一些太空市场投入数据统计可以看出，从美国阿波罗登月时代之后，世界各国对太空领域的重视都有不同程度的提高，对太空领域事业的投资也在不断加大，这些投资的方向高度一致，集中在火箭和卫星领域。专家预测，随着太空行业一些重要技术验证的成功完成和成果运用，以及对新领域新项目实验的推进，太空市场的规模会不断扩大，甚至会超出普通科技行业。

眼下，卫星虽然在导航、遥感、通信等方面给人们的生活提供极大的方便，但许多事例反复对太空事业的发展提出挑战。比如，一个地方突发地质灾害，政府和相关部门无法及时了解掌握灾害危害程度、事态发展，无法制订有效施救计划等；灾区内大部分移动通信基站损坏，造成通信中断，灾民们叫天不应，叫地无门。再比如，飞机、汽车、轮船等正常运行中突然失联，居然数年都不知下落，连残片都找不到。还有，驾驶员正使用卫星导航行驶到一岔路口，导航突然不发指令，而且长期保持沉默，驾驶员不得不把车靠边，重新进行民航服务链接……无数的事例都说明，太空市场的拓展与运用，已经让人们感到了生活的便利，但由于市场拓展局限或有限，人类的需要还得不到全面满足，所以，太空市场空间必然是未来各商业主体开发服务产品，进行市场竞争的主战场。

人们的想象空间是巨大的，人们的追求和梦想是无止境的。有些人想体验乘飞船的感觉，想到太空亲眼看看美丽的地球；有的人想到月球上、火星上去采矿，甚至移民到外星体上去。随着科技的进步、飞行器的改进，什么愿望都有可能实现。

快舟火箭奔向商业航天市场

中国地广人众，资源丰富，行业齐全，太空市场潜力巨大。快舟火箭在时代发展大背景下，应运而生，并迅速发展壮大起来。

快舟一号甲运载火箭是由航天科工火箭技术有限公司自主研发的一款固体运载火箭，具有成本低、可靠性好、入轨精度高的特点。该型火箭具备“一箭多星”发射能力，能够为小卫星、微小卫星发射提供自主性更强、优先级更高的发射服务。

快舟一号甲运载火箭采用三级固体动力+末级液体助推的串联式布局，全长约20m，起飞质量约30t，最大直径1.4m，太阳同步圆轨道的运载能力为200kg/700km，近地轨道运载能力为300kg。火箭采用了水平总装、水平测试、水平运输的“三平测发模式”，有效提高了操作的便利性；由移动发射车在普通硬实地面实施发射，不需要复杂的发射塔架，简化了发射保障设施；火箭具有先进末级，可同时保证多轨道发射能力和高精度入轨姿态，满足一箭多星用户的快速发射和部署需求。

Kuaizhou takes off in the commercial aerospace market

China has vast lands,a large population,rich resources,numerous industries,and huge space market potential.With the backdrop of the great development of the country and the world,Kuaizhou Launch Vehicle has grown rapidly in response to the times.

Kuaizhou-1A (KZ-1A) is a highly reliable,cost-effective launch vehicle with precise injection accuracy.Developed independently by Expace Technology Co.,Ltd.,the launcher is able to send multiple satellites into orbit with a single launch,which provides customers with more flexible services for their small and micro satellites.

The KZ-1A solid launch vehicle is 20m long with a lift-off mass of 30 tonnes and a maximum diameter of 1.4m.It can send a 200kg payload into a 700km sunsynchronous orbit.The vehicle’s propulsion power is provided by three solid-fuel engines and one liquid-fuel engine.The rocket adopts the “three-horizontal test and launch mode,” i.e.horizontal assembly,horizontal testing,and horizontal transportation,which can effectively improve the convenience of operation and management.It can be launched by a mobile launcher on ordinary hard ground and does not require a complicated launch tower.This simplifies the launch process and support facilities.The rocket has an advanced final stage that can simultaneously ensure multisatellite launch capability and a highly precise injection attitude,thus meeting customers’ demands for fast multi-satellite launches and deployments.

In January 2017,KZ-1A solid launch vehicle successfully launched 3 satellites:the Jilin-1 SP03 and two cube satellites,the Xingyun Test-1 and Kaidun-1,into orbit.It marked a new milestone for the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC)towards the commercial aerospace industry.

In September 2018,Kuaizhou-1A Launch Vehicle (Y8)successfully sent Centispace-1 satellite for Beijing Future Navigation Technology Co.,Ltd.into the predetermined orbit.

In August 2019,Kuaizhou-1A Launch Vehicle (Y10)simultaneously launched a microgravity technology experiment satellite and Xiaoxiang-1-07 satellite into orbit.

In October 2019,Kuaizhou-1A Launch Vehicle (Y11) sent the Jilin-1GF02 SP into a predetermined orbit at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.The satellite is developed by Chang Guang Satellite Technology Co.,Ltd.

Kuaizhou-1A Launch Vehicle (Y6)快舟一号甲遥六运载火箭

2017年1月，快舟一号甲运载火箭成功发射吉林一号灵巧视频03 星，同时搭载行云试验一号、凯盾一号两颗立方体星，实现一箭三星发射，此次发射标志着中国航天科工集团在商业航天领域迈出新步伐。

2018年9月，公司研制的快舟一号甲遥八运载火箭，成功将北京未来导航科技有限公司研制的微厘空间一号系统S1 试验卫星送入预定轨道。

2019年8月，快舟一号甲遥十运载火箭以一箭双星的形式发射微重力技术实验卫星、潇湘一号07卫星。

2019年10月,快舟一号甲遥十一运载火箭在酒泉卫星发射中心，将长光卫星技术有限公司研制的吉林一号高分02A 卫星送入预定轨道。

2019年11月，快舟一号甲遥七运载火箭在酒泉卫星发射中心，首次采用多星串联布局发射小卫星，以一箭双星的方式，将中科院微小卫星创新研究院研制的两颗KL-阿尔法卫星送入预定轨道。

2020年1月，快舟一号甲遥九运载火箭在酒泉卫星发射中心，将银河航天（北京）科技有限公司自主研制的通信能力达10Gbps 的低轨宽带通信卫星送入预定轨道。

2020年5月，快舟一号甲遥六运载火箭成功发射行云二号卫星，并通过在箭体上涂刷“英雄武汉·伟大中国”和“致敬医护工作者群像”的方式，致敬英雄的城市、英雄的人民和广大医护工作者。

武汉构建中国商业航天第三极

2016年2月，中国航天科工集团、航天三江集团为抢抓商业航天发展机遇，成立航天科工火箭技术有限公司，按照社会化、市场化运作管理。该公司是中国首家专业从事商业发射服务的公司，也是国内商业发射服务的先行者、国内商业航天产业的开拓者以及太空经济开发的探索者。航天科工火箭技术有限公司的成立，标志着武汉正在形成中国商业航天第三极，与北京、南京一起，鼎力支撑服务中国乃至世界商业航天市场需求。

In November 2019,Kuaizhou-1A Launch Vehicle (Y7) utilized the multi-satellite tandem layout to arrange small satellites for the first time.It sent two KL-Alpha satellites into predetermined orbit at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.

In January 2020,Kuaizhou-1A Launch Vehicle (Y9) launched a broadband communication satellite at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center into the predetermined orbit.Developed by Galaxy Space (Beijing)Technology Co.,Ltd,the satellite’s communication capability reaches 10Gbps.

In May 2020,Kuaizhou-1A Launch Vehicle (Y6) successfully launched the Xingyun-2 satellite and paid tribute to the heroic city of Wuhan,the heroic people,and a broad mass of medical workers,by painting the slogans “Heroic Wuhan • Great China” and “Salute to Medical Workers” on the body of the rocket.

Wuhan builds “third pole” of China’s commercial aerospace industry

Kuaizhou-1A Launch Vehicle (Y6) ready for launching快舟一号甲遥六运载火箭运抵发射场

Kuaizhou-1A Launch Vehicle testing快舟一号甲运载火箭试验现场

公司成立以来，积极开拓国内商业卫星发射市场，持续推进资本、市场、人才深度融合，以发展成为国际一流商业发射服务公司为目标。

2017年，公司完成A 轮社会融资，募集资金12 亿元，主要用于快舟固体运载火箭研制生产能力建设、产品研发投入以及创新中心建设等。公司在武汉国家航天产业基地投资建成的火箭总装总调中心（一期）项目，主要用于快舟固体运载火箭总装测试、总装集成、星箭车系统集成及联合测试、试验验证、生产管理、物流仓储。火箭总装总调中心具备年产20 发固体运载火箭的总装测试能力，这标志着我国首个基于数字化、智慧化的商业火箭总装总调中心正式投入使用。

除火箭公司外，中国航天科工集团、航天三江集团还在武汉成立了航天行云科技有限公司，致力于卫星科技的研究创新和生产利用。同时在基地内引进商业航天相关企业，配套打造世界一流的商业航天基地。

与此同时，中国航天科工集团依托武汉地理区位和产业优势，打造一年一度的“中国（国际）商业航天高峰论坛”，荟萃国内外航天界专家，探讨国际商业航天发展趋势，交流商业模式、管理模式和技术创新成果。论坛正在成为国内外航天专家青睐的高端交流平台。

Kuaizhou-1A Launch Vehicle (Y7)快舟一号甲遥七运载火箭

In February of 2016,the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) and 4th Academy of CASIC established Expace Technology Co.,Ltd.in order to seize the market opportunity of aerospace commercialization.It is mainly engaged in the research and development of the Kuaizhou series of light low-orbit launch vehicles.It is the first company in China to specialize in commercial launch services,as “a pioneer in the commercial launch service,a pioneer in aerospace industry commercialization,and an explorer of the aerospace economy in China.” The establishment of this rocket company in Wuhan marks the city becoming the“third pole” of China’s commercial aerospace industry.Together with Beijing and Nanjing,it will greatly support and serve the commercial aerospace market of China and the world.

Since its inception,the company has actively explored the domestic satellite launch market and promoted in-depth pooling of capital,market information,and talent,aiming at becoming a world-class commercial launch service company.

In 2017,the company completed its first round of social financing and raised 1.2 billion yuan,which has been mainly used for building up the company’s capacity of developing and producing the Kuaizhou series of rockets,other product research and development,and construction of an innovation center.The company also invested in constructing a rocket AIT center(Phase I) at the Wuhan National Aerospace Industry Base.This center is mainly used for testing,assembly & integration,satelliterocket-launcher systematic integration & joint testing,test verification,production management,logistics,and warehousing of the Kuaizhou solid rockets.The center currently has an annual capacity of assembly and testing of 20 solid rockets.It marks the launch of the first digital and intelligent general AIT center for commercial rockets in China.

Besides Expace,the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) and 4th Academy of CASIC have also established another subsidiary,Leobit Technology Co.,Ltd in Wuhan,to be dedicated to research,innovation,production,and utilization of satellite technologies.At the same time,CASIC has introduced commercial aerospace companies and enterprises into the base,in order to turn it into a world-class commercial aerospace base.

In addition,CASIC initiated an annual industry conference called the “China (International)Commercial Aerospace Forum” by leveraging Wuhan’s geographical location and industrial advantages.By gathering domestic and foreign aerospace experts to discuss the trends of international commercial aerospace,together with exchanging business & management modes and technological innovation achievements,the forum is becoming a high-end communication platform favored by domestic and foreign aerospace experts.(Translation:Xiao Jiayan)

Kuaizhou-1A Launch Vehicle testing快舟一号甲运载火箭试验现场