The State-owned China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) is preparing to launch the Kuaizhou-11 (KZ-11) a new solid propellant launch vehicle in the first half of the year as part of a multiplatform commercial space strategy. According to Chinese language news portal 3SNews, the Kuaizhou-11 (KZ-11) debut launch will carry six satellites. The commercial Kuaizhou launch vehicles, or ‘fast vessel’, have been derived from CASIC’s missile technology in order to provide fast-response and low-cost access to space. The KZ-11 had previously been stated by Chinese media to be ready for test flight in the first half of 2018, then the second half of last year, before the slip to the first half of 2019. No reason for the delays has so far been released. When the Kuaizhou-11 does take off, it will, like existing and planned future Kuaizhou rockets, be launched from a transporter erector launcher (TEL). It will likely launch from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert, run by the People’s Liberation Army. Earlier public statements from CASIC and subsidiary Expace, a commercial launch provider, claim launch costs of between $10,000 to $20,000 per kilogram for the Kuaizhou series, and expect this to fall to $5,000 per kilogram.
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