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) 快舟火箭總裝總調(diào)中心（一期）項(xiàng)目

The cooperation between Kuaizhou Launch Vehicle and The Wandering Earth快舟火箭與電影《流浪地球》合作

Xingyun-2 Satellite行云二號(hào)衛(wèi)星

20世紀(jì)中葉以來(lái)，人類(lèi)對(duì)太空領(lǐng)域的探索不斷深入，而探索成果的運(yùn)用對(duì)人類(lèi)生活方式的影響也在不斷加強(qiáng)，人們的生活行為從地面橫向聯(lián)系展開(kāi)發(fā)展到了由高空引導(dǎo)進(jìn)行，在科技領(lǐng)域多維立體拓展的當(dāng)下，人們的生活空間也從平面走向立體，衛(wèi)星已經(jīng)成了人們不可或缺的第三只眼睛。

太空領(lǐng)域是個(gè)巨大的市場(chǎng)

從一些太空市場(chǎng)投入數(shù)據(jù)統(tǒng)計(jì)可以看出，從美國(guó)阿波羅登月時(shí)代之后，世界各國(guó)對(duì)太空領(lǐng)域的重視都有不同程度的提高，對(duì)太空領(lǐng)域事業(yè)的投資也在不斷加大，這些投資的方向高度一致，集中在火箭和衛(wèi)星領(lǐng)域。專(zhuān)家預(yù)測(cè)，隨著太空行業(yè)一些重要技術(shù)驗(yàn)證的成功完成和成果運(yùn)用，以及對(duì)新領(lǐng)域新項(xiàng)目實(shí)驗(yàn)的推進(jìn)，太空市場(chǎng)的規(guī)模會(huì)不斷擴(kuò)大，甚至?xí)銎胀萍夹袠I(yè)。

眼下，衛(wèi)星雖然在導(dǎo)航、遙感、通信等方面給人們的生活提供極大的方便，但許多事例反復(fù)對(duì)太空事業(yè)的發(fā)展提出挑戰(zhàn)。比如，一個(gè)地方突發(fā)地質(zhì)災(zāi)害，政府和相關(guān)部門(mén)無(wú)法及時(shí)了解掌握災(zāi)害危害程度、事態(tài)發(fā)展，無(wú)法制訂有效施救計(jì)劃等；災(zāi)區(qū)內(nèi)大部分移動(dòng)通信基站損壞，造成通信中斷，災(zāi)民們叫天不應(yīng)，叫地?zé)o門(mén)。再比如，飛機(jī)、汽車(chē)、輪船等正常運(yùn)行中突然失聯(lián)，居然數(shù)年都不知下落，連殘片都找不到。還有，駕駛員正使用衛(wèi)星導(dǎo)航行駛到一岔路口，導(dǎo)航突然不發(fā)指令，而且長(zhǎng)期保持沉默，駕駛員不得不把車(chē)靠邊，重新進(jìn)行民航服務(wù)鏈接……無(wú)數(shù)的事例都說(shuō)明，太空市場(chǎng)的拓展與運(yùn)用，已經(jīng)讓人們感到了生活的便利，但由于市場(chǎng)拓展局限或有限，人類(lèi)的需要還得不到全面滿足，所以，太空市場(chǎng)空間必然是未來(lái)各商業(yè)主體開(kāi)發(fā)服務(wù)產(chǎn)品，進(jìn)行市場(chǎng)競(jìng)爭(zhēng)的主戰(zhàn)場(chǎng)。

人們的想象空間是巨大的，人們的追求和夢(mèng)想是無(wú)止境的。有些人想體驗(yàn)乘飛船的感覺(jué)，想到太空親眼看看美麗的地球；有的人想到月球上、火星上去采礦，甚至移民到外星體上去。隨著科技的進(jìn)步、飛行器的改進(jìn)，什么愿望都有可能實(shí)現(xiàn)。

快舟火箭奔向商業(yè)航天市場(chǎng)

中國(guó)地廣人眾，資源豐富，行業(yè)齊全，太空市場(chǎng)潛力巨大?？熘刍鸺跁r(shí)代發(fā)展大背景下，應(yīng)運(yùn)而生，并迅速發(fā)展壯大起來(lái)。

快舟一號(hào)甲運(yùn)載火箭是由航天科工火箭技術(shù)有限公司自主研發(fā)的一款固體運(yùn)載火箭，具有成本低、可靠性好、入軌精度高的特點(diǎn)。該型火箭具備“一箭多星”發(fā)射能力，能夠?yàn)樾⌒l(wèi)星、微小衛(wèi)星發(fā)射提供自主性更強(qiáng)、優(yōu)先級(jí)更高的發(fā)射服務(wù)。

快舟一號(hào)甲運(yùn)載火箭采用三級(jí)固體動(dòng)力+末級(jí)液體助推的串聯(lián)式布局，全長(zhǎng)約20m，起飛質(zhì)量約30t，最大直徑1.4m，太陽(yáng)同步圓軌道的運(yùn)載能力為200kg/700km，近地軌道運(yùn)載能力為300kg?；鸺捎昧怂娇傃b、水平測(cè)試、水平運(yùn)輸?shù)摹叭綔y(cè)發(fā)模式”，有效提高了操作的便利性；由移動(dòng)發(fā)射車(chē)在普通硬實(shí)地面實(shí)施發(fā)射，不需要復(fù)雜的發(fā)射塔架，簡(jiǎn)化了發(fā)射保障設(shè)施；火箭具有先進(jìn)末級(jí)，可同時(shí)保證多軌道發(fā)射能力和高精度入軌姿態(tài)，滿足一箭多星用戶的快速發(fā)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)快舟一號(hào)甲遙六運(yùn)載火箭

2017年1月，快舟一號(hào)甲運(yùn)載火箭成功發(fā)射吉林一號(hào)靈巧視頻03 星，同時(shí)搭載行云試驗(yàn)一號(hào)、凱盾一號(hào)兩顆立方體星，實(shí)現(xiàn)一箭三星發(fā)射，此次發(fā)射標(biāo)志著中國(guó)航天科工集團(tuán)在商業(yè)航天領(lǐng)域邁出新步伐。

2018年9月，公司研制的快舟一號(hào)甲遙八運(yùn)載火箭，成功將北京未來(lái)導(dǎo)航科技有限公司研制的微厘空間一號(hào)系統(tǒng)S1 試驗(yàn)衛(wèi)星送入預(yù)定軌道。

2019年8月，快舟一號(hào)甲遙十運(yùn)載火箭以一箭雙星的形式發(fā)射微重力技術(shù)實(shí)驗(yàn)衛(wèi)星、瀟湘一號(hào)07衛(wèi)星。

2019年10月,快舟一號(hào)甲遙十一運(yùn)載火箭在酒泉衛(wèi)星發(fā)射中心，將長(zhǎng)光衛(wèi)星技術(shù)有限公司研制的吉林一號(hào)高分02A 衛(wèi)星送入預(yù)定軌道。

2019年11月，快舟一號(hào)甲遙七運(yùn)載火箭在酒泉衛(wèi)星發(fā)射中心，首次采用多星串聯(lián)布局發(fā)射小衛(wèi)星，以一箭雙星的方式，將中科院微小衛(wèi)星創(chuàng)新研究院研制的兩顆KL-阿爾法衛(wèi)星送入預(yù)定軌道。

2020年1月，快舟一號(hào)甲遙九運(yùn)載火箭在酒泉衛(wèi)星發(fā)射中心，將銀河航天（北京）科技有限公司自主研制的通信能力達(dá)10Gbps 的低軌寬帶通信衛(wèi)星送入預(yù)定軌道。

2020年5月，快舟一號(hào)甲遙六運(yùn)載火箭成功發(fā)射行云二號(hào)衛(wèi)星，并通過(guò)在箭體上涂刷“英雄武漢·偉大中國(guó)”和“致敬醫(yī)護(hù)工作者群像”的方式，致敬英雄的城市、英雄的人民和廣大醫(yī)護(hù)工作者。

武漢構(gòu)建中國(guó)商業(yè)航天第三極

2016年2月，中國(guó)航天科工集團(tuán)、航天三江集團(tuán)為搶抓商業(yè)航天發(fā)展機(jī)遇，成立航天科工火箭技術(shù)有限公司，按照社會(huì)化、市場(chǎng)化運(yùn)作管理。該公司是中國(guó)首家專(zhuān)業(yè)從事商業(yè)發(fā)射服務(wù)的公司，也是國(guó)內(nèi)商業(yè)發(fā)射服務(wù)的先行者、國(guó)內(nèi)商業(yè)航天產(chǎn)業(yè)的開(kāi)拓者以及太空經(jīng)濟(jì)開(kāi)發(fā)的探索者。航天科工火箭技術(shù)有限公司的成立，標(biāo)志著武漢正在形成中國(guó)商業(yè)航天第三極，與北京、南京一起，鼎力支撐服務(wù)中國(guó)乃至世界商業(yè)航天市場(chǎng)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快舟一號(hào)甲遙六運(yùn)載火箭運(yùn)抵發(fā)射場(chǎng)

Kuaizhou-1A Launch Vehicle testing快舟一號(hào)甲運(yùn)載火箭試驗(yàn)現(xiàn)場(chǎng)

公司成立以來(lái)，積極開(kāi)拓國(guó)內(nèi)商業(yè)衛(wèi)星發(fā)射市場(chǎng)，持續(xù)推進(jìn)資本、市場(chǎng)、人才深度融合，以發(fā)展成為國(guó)際一流商業(yè)發(fā)射服務(wù)公司為目標(biāo)。

2017年，公司完成A 輪社會(huì)融資，募集資金12 億元，主要用于快舟固體運(yùn)載火箭研制生產(chǎn)能力建設(shè)、產(chǎn)品研發(fā)投入以及創(chuàng)新中心建設(shè)等。公司在武漢國(guó)家航天產(chǎn)業(yè)基地投資建成的火箭總裝總調(diào)中心（一期）項(xiàng)目，主要用于快舟固體運(yùn)載火箭總裝測(cè)試、總裝集成、星箭車(chē)系統(tǒng)集成及聯(lián)合測(cè)試、試驗(yàn)驗(yàn)證、生產(chǎn)管理、物流倉(cāng)儲(chǔ)?；鸺傃b總調(diào)中心具備年產(chǎn)20 發(fā)固體運(yùn)載火箭的總裝測(cè)試能力，這標(biāo)志著我國(guó)首個(gè)基于數(shù)字化、智慧化的商業(yè)火箭總裝總調(diào)中心正式投入使用。

除火箭公司外，中國(guó)航天科工集團(tuán)、航天三江集團(tuán)還在武漢成立了航天行云科技有限公司，致力于衛(wèi)星科技的研究創(chuàng)新和生產(chǎn)利用。同時(shí)在基地內(nèi)引進(jìn)商業(yè)航天相關(guān)企業(yè)，配套打造世界一流的商業(yè)航天基地。

與此同時(shí)，中國(guó)航天科工集團(tuán)依托武漢地理區(qū)位和產(chǎn)業(yè)優(yōu)勢(shì)，打造一年一度的“中國(guó)（國(guó)際）商業(yè)航天高峰論壇”，薈萃國(guó)內(nèi)外航天界專(zhuān)家，探討國(guó)際商業(yè)航天發(fā)展趨勢(shì)，交流商業(yè)模式、管理模式和技術(shù)創(chuàng)新成果。論壇正在成為國(guó)內(nèi)外航天專(zhuān)家青睞的高端交流平臺(tái)。

Kuaizhou-1A Launch Vehicle (Y7)快舟一號(hào)甲遙七運(yùn)載火箭

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快舟一號(hào)甲運(yùn)載火箭試驗(yàn)現(xiàn)場(chǎng)