Launches / Kuaizhou 11

Past launch Launched successfully

8 satellites

Kuaizhou 11, flown by ExPace

Kuaizhou 11 lifting off with the 8 satellites mission
Image via The Space Devs.

This was ExPace's 1st launch of 2026, and its 33rd in all.

Counting every operator, it was the 56th orbital launch attempt anywhere in 2026, and the second from Launch Area 95A.

Launched
Monday, March 16, 2026, 4:12 a.m. UTC
Window
Monday, March 16, 2026, 4:04 to 4:42 a.m. UTC
Launch site
Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, China
Rocket
Kuaizhou 11
Operator
ExPace

The mission

Ride-share launch of 8 satellites to sun-synchronous orbit: * Juntian-1-04A * Dongpo-11 * Dongpo-12 * Dongpo-16 * Weitong-1-01 * Xiguang-1-06 * Yuxing-3-05 * Yuxing-3-06

Type
Technology
Destination
Sun-synchronous orbit

The rocket

The Kuaizhou-11 (KZ-11), is a planned Chinese commercial launch vehicle. Reportedly, the payload is about 1000 kg for low earth orbit and 700 kg for a sun-synchronous orbit. The three stage rocket is possibly based on the DF-31 missile. It consists of three solid-fueled stages. The principal diameter is 2.2 m and the launch weight is 78 tons. the first stage features four grid rudders. The vehicle is launched from a launch truck.

Built by
ExPace
First flew
July 10, 2020
Lifts to low Earth orbit
1,000 kg
Diameter
2.2 m
View 2 specifications Show less
Mass at liftoff
78 t
Stages
3

6 flights, 5 of them successful.

The operator

ExPace

ExPace is a Chinese space rocket company based in Wuhan, Hubei, China. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of missileer China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC), a Chinese state-owned company, and serves as its commercial rocket division. ExPace is focused on small satellite launchers to low Earth orbit.

Sector
Commercial
Based in
China
Founded
2016
Run by
Zhang Di, CEO

34 launches so far, 30 of them successful. The last 5 in a row went to plan.

Wikipedia →

The launch site

It went up from Launch Area 95A at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, China.

See the pad on a map →

Catch the next one instead

This one is done, but there is another along shortly. Flyby works out whether it climbs into your sky, and wakes you in time to get outside.

Get Flyby free