Kinetica 1 (Chinese: 力箭一号; pinyin: Lìjiàn yī hào; lit. 'Powerful Rocket-1', also known as Lijian-1, LJ-1) is a Chinese small-lift orbital launch vehicle developed by CAS Space.[1][2] It is currently the second largest solid-fueled rocket in China after Orienspace's Gravity-1 rocket.
Kinetica 1 launching on its third flight in 2024.
| |
| Function | Orbital launch vehicle |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | CAS Space |
| Country of origin | China |
| Size | |
| Height | 29.7 m (97 ft) |
| Diameter | 2.65 m (8 ft 8 in) |
| Mass | 135 t (298,000 lb) |
| Stages | 4 |
| Capacity | |
| Payload to LEO | |
| Mass | 2,000 kg (4,400 lb) |
| Payload to SSO | |
| Mass | 1,500 kg (3,300 lb) |
| Launch history | |
| Status | Active |
| Launch sites | JSLC |
| Total launches | 3 |
| Success(es) | 3 |
| Failure(s) | 0 |
| Partial failure(s) | 0 |
| First flight | 27 July 2022 |
| Last flight | 23 January 2024 |
| First stage – SP70 | |
| Powered by | 1Solid |
| Maximum thrust | 2,066.8 kilonewtons (464,600 lbf) |
| Propellant | Solid |
| Second stage | |
| Powered by | 1Solid |
| Maximum thrust | 1,081.2 kilonewtons (243,100 lbf) |
| Propellant | Solid |
| Third stage | |
| Powered by | 1Solid |
| Maximum thrust | 439.3 kilonewtons (98,800 lbf) |
| Propellant | Solid |
| Fourth stage | |
| Powered by | 1Solid |
| Maximum thrust | 78 kilonewtons (18,000 lbf) |
| Propellant | Solid |
Kinetica 1 is 30 m (98 ft) tall, 2.65 m (8 ft 8 in) in diameter and weighs 135 t (133 long tons; 149 short tons). It consists of four solid-fuel stages. It is capable of lifting 1.5 t (1.5 long tons; 1.7 short tons) to a 500 km (310 mi) Sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) or 2 t (2.0 long tons; 2.2 short tons) to low Earth orbit (LEO).[3][4]
CAS Space conducted ground tests for the four-stage Kinetica 1 in November 2021.[5] Its maiden flight was conducted on 27 July 2022, sending 6 satellites into SSO.[6]
| Flight number | Serial number | Date (UTC) | Launch site | Payload | Orbit | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Y1 | 27 July 2022 04:12 |
LS-130, JSLC | SATech 01 Dianci Zuzhuang Shiyan × 2 GNSS-R Jinan-1 Nanyue Science Satellite |
SSO | Success |
| 2 | Y2 | 7 June 2023 04:10 |
LS-130, JSLC | Shiyan 24A/B Fucheng-1 Xi'an Hangtou-8 CXPD 21 undisclosed satellites |
SSO | Success |
| 3 | Y3 | 23 January 2024 04:03 |
LS-130, JSLC | Taijing-1-03 Taijing-2-02 Taijing-2-04 Taijing-3-02 Taijing-4-03 |
SSO | Success |
