During on 5th December 2025 at 1700 Hong Kong SAR- Beijing Time launching from one of many complexes酒泉衛星發射中心 Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Dongfeng Aerospace City – inner Mongolia –China – People’s Republic of China on中國製造 Expace Technology Corporation, , the Kuaizhou No. 1A solid carrier rocket ignited and lifted off at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center deploying the sending the traffic VDES satellites A and B into low Earth orbit (LEO).The satellite successfully entered the predetermined orbit, and the launch mission was a complete success.
The VDES satellites A and B are small communication satellites developed by the Innovation Academy for Microsatellites of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and are two experimental satellites. This group of satellites is equipped with a VHF Data Exchange System (VDES) payload and a laser payload, primarily used for VDES payload technology verification and communication experiments.
The first two satellites of the Transportation VDES constellation, A and B, mark the beginning of its construction. Under the business guidance of the Maritime Safety Administration of the Ministry of Transport, and in cooperation with the China Transport Telecommunications Information Center and Shanghai Yuanxin Satellite Technology Co., Ltd., the Transportation VDES constellation will significantly enhance my country’s support capabilities in maritime vessel traffic management and emergency search and rescue, further deepen the integration of maritime supervision and service support, and provide strong support for accelerating the construction of a strong transportation nation.
The Kuaizhou-1A is a four-stage small launch vehicle developed by CASIC Rocket Technology Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of the Ninth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC). It employs a four-stage tandem configuration, with solid-propellant engines for the first, second, and third stages and a room-temperature liquid-propellant engine for the fourth stage. The rocket’s liquid-propellant final stage has the capability for multiple ignitions, enabling it to perform multi-satellite launch missions into different orbits.
This launch uses the improved “Kuaizhou-1A” carrier rocket, which has a body diameter of 1.4 meters and is equipped with a 1.8-meter diameter fairing. Its payload capacity is 500 kg to a low Earth orbit (LEO) at an altitude of 500 km and an inclination of 45 degrees, 360 kg to a sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) at an altitude of 500 km, and more than 300 kg to a sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) at an altitude of 700 km.
Since its successful maiden flight on January 9, 2017, the Kuaizhou-1A rocket has carried out a total of 30 launches, achieving 28 successes, a success rate of 93%. It is China’s most launched and most successful solid-propellant launch vehicle. Since the successful 15th launch of Kuaizhou-1A (Y23) on June 22, 2022, the rocket has achieved a 16-game winning streak, which is the second longest winning streak record for currently operational solid-propellant rockets in China, second only to the ongoing 18-game winning streak of the Long March 11 rocket.
This mission marks the second launch of the Kuaizhou-1A carrier rocket in 2025. It also represents the 35th orbital launch of the Kuaizhou series of carrier rockets.
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