Launches / Kinetica 1
Kinetica 1, flown by CAS Space
This was CAS Space's 4th launch of 2026, and its 15th in all.
Counting every operator, it was the 139th orbital launch attempt anywhere in 2026, and the third from Launch Area 130.
8 Earth observation satellites for the Jilin-1 commercial Earth observation satellites constellation: * High Resolution-04D 01-02 * High Resolution-05D 01-02 * High Resolution-07C 04 * High Resolution-07D 02-04
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.
15 flights, 14 of them successful.
CAS Space is a spin-off company from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) that is operating and plans to operate various launch vehicles of the Zhongke series.
16 launches so far, 15 of them successful. The last 10 in a row went to plan.
It went up from Launch Area 130 at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, China.
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