Kinetica 1

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]

Kinetica 1

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	Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center
Total launches	7
Success(es)	6
Failure(s)	1
Partial failure(s)	0
First flight	27 July 2022
Last flight	21 May 2025
First stage – SP70
Powered by	1 solid
Maximum thrust	2,066.8 kilonewtons (464,600 lbf)
Propellant	Solid
Second stage
Powered by	1 solid
Maximum thrust	1,081.2 kilonewtons (243,100 lbf)
Propellant	Solid
Third stage
Powered by	1 solid
Maximum thrust	439.3 kilonewtons (98,800 lbf)
Propellant	Solid
Fourth stage
Powered by	1 solid
Maximum thrust	78 kilonewtons (18,000 lbf)
Propellant	Solid

Design

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]

History

CAS Space conducted ground tests for the four-stage Kinetica 1 in November 2021.^[5] Its maiden flight was conducted from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center (JSLC) on 27 July 2022, sending 6 satellites into SSO.^[6]

Launches

Flight number	Serial number	Date (UTC)	Launch site	Payload	Orbit	Result	Note
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	Maiden flight of Kinetica 1
2	Y2	7 June 2023 04:10	LS-130, JSLC	Shiyan 24A/B Fucheng-1 Xi'an Hangtou-8 CXPD (X Shexian Pianzheng Lifang) Tianyi 26 20 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
4	Y4	24 September 2024 23:33	LS-130, JSLC	Zhongke-01/02 Jilin-1 SAR-01A Yunyao-21/22	SSO	Success
5	Y5	11 November 2024 04:03	LS-130, JSLC	Jilin-1 Gaofen-05B Pingtai 02A03 Yunyao-1 31-36 Shiyan-26 A, B, C Xiguang-1 04, 05 OmanSat 1 Tianyan-24	SSO	Success
6	Y6	27 December 2024 01:03	LS-130, JSLC	Dier-3 (B300-L01) Yunyao-1 × 6 Yinglong 1 Yangwang 2 Yixian A CASAA-Sat	SSO	Failure	Third stage instability.[7]
7	Y7	21 May 2025 04:05	LS-130, JSLC	Taijing-3 04 Taijing-4 02A Xingrui-11 Xingjiyuan-1 Lifangti-108 001 Xiguang-1 02 (Tanli)	SSO	Success

See also

• Spaceflight portal
• China portal

• Comparison of orbital launcher families
• Comparison of orbital launch systems
• Expendable launch system
• Lists of rockets