Kuaizhou 11

The KZ-11 Y8 is undergoing a test flight.

The new 2.65m version of the KZ-11 Y8 is not the largest available variant.

ExPace's Kuaizhou-11 launch vehicle launched at 09:08 am China Standard Time on December 13th from Launch Site 95 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.

The Kuaizhou-11 launch vehicle carried two spacecraft into low Earth orbit.

Kuaizhou-11 has a payload capacity of 1,500 kilograms to low Earth orbit and 1,000 kilograms to a sun-synchronous orbit.

The first stage of Kuaizhou-11 features four grid fins for flight control and thrusters at the top for control after launch.

Kuaizhou-11 stands 25 meters tall on the launch pad and has a fairing diameter of 2.2 meters.

This was the first flight of Kuaizhou-11 in eighteen months; the previous flight carried four satellites back in May 2024.

Kuaizhou-11 weighs around 78,000 kilograms when prepared for flight.

The Kuaizhou-11 Y8 rocket also carried another satellite, XiWang-5, during the launch.

Kuaizhou-11 has only flown from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.

The KZ-11 Y8 launch was successful.

EXPACE's Kuaizhou-11 Y8 launched the DEAR-5 cargo ship for AZSPACE at 01:08 UTC on December 13.

The Kuaizhou-11 flew with a 2.65-meter diameter fairing for the first time during this launch.

Today's launch was the 4th Kuaizhou-11 mission and the 38th launch of the Kuaizhou series.

Kuaizhou-11 is a larger commercial launch vehicle developed by the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation and manufactured by ExPace.

Kuaizhou-11 consists of three 2.2-meter-diameter solid-fueled stages and a liquid-fueled fourth stage for orbital insertion.

AZAPACE plans to launch DEAR-5 aboard a Kuaizhou-11.