← All launches
Launch SuccessfulCAS Space

Kinetica 1: Maiden Flight

Carried 6 satellites to sun-synchronous orbit, including the prototype X-ray astronomy observation satellite SATech 01, Jinan 1 and 4 other technological demonstration satellites from the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Wednesday, 27 July 2022
Kinetica 1: Maiden Flight

Mission Data

CAS Space
🇨🇳CAS SpaceEst. 2018
Launch VehicleKinetica 1
Vehicle Record15 of 16 launches (93.8%)
Provider TypeCommercial
Agency Record17 successes / 1 failures (94%)
Success Streak12 consecutive
Mission TypeTechnology
Target OrbitSun-Synchronous Orbit
Launch PadLaunch Area 130
Location🇨🇳 Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China CHN
Orbital Launches This Year#90
Agency Launches This Year#1
Launches From This Pad16
Launches From This Site302
Status Note

The launch vehicle successfully inserted its payload(s) into the target orbit(s).

About Kinetica 1

Kinetica 1 (also known as Lijian-1, Chinese: 力箭一号) is a Chinese solid-propellant light launch vehicle. It is capable of placing about 2 tons into low earth orbit and 1.5 tons into sun-synchronous orbit. It is developed by CAS Space, a subsidiary of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Kinetica 1 is a light launcher whose first stage seems to be derived from the DF-31 long-range intercontinental ballistic missile. It is 30 m high and has a diameter of 2.65 m, with a liftoff mass of 135 t. It's the largest Chinese solid propellant launcher to date, with four stages with a thrust of 200, 100, 50 and 10 tons respectively. The fairing has a diameter of 3.35 meters.

Launch updates

  1. Launch success

    Source ↗
  2. Added launch per NOTAMs; assignment of this launch to the time slot dictated by NOTAMs highly unreliable.

    Source ↗

Launch Site

Launch Area 130 · 40.8182°N 100.2251°E

Launch data from Launch Library 2 by The Space Devs.