航天科工火箭技术有限公司
ExPace, also known as CASIC Rocket Technology Company, is a Chinese state-owned commercial launch provider and a subsidiary of China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC). Founded in 2016, ExPace focuses on providing cost-effective launch services for small satellites to low Earth orbit, primarily using its Kuaizhou (KZ) series of solid-fueled rockets. The company is developing reusable methane-liquid oxygen rockets and aims to compete with other commercial space companies by offering rapid and responsive launch capabilities.
All verified mentions of this organization in source documents.
The Kuaizhou-11 is a larger version of the Kuaizhou-1A solid rocket operated by Expace.
Expace is developing four-meter-diameter Kuaizhou-21 and Kuaizhou-31 solid rockets designed to carry up to 20,000 kg and 70,000 kg to low Earth orbit, respectively.
Expace operates the Kuaizhou-11 and operates the smaller Kuaizhou-1A for commercial launches.
Expace launched a pair of 93-kilogram Xingyun-2 (01, 02) satellites into 557 x 573-kilometer orbits from Jiuquan on a Kuaizhou-1A rocket.
An experimental inflatable cargo reentry module developed by the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp. (CASIC) suffered an anomaly during reentry on 2020-05-06.
Expace will launch the Xingyun-2 (01, 02) satellites on a Kuaizhou-1A solid rocket from Jiuquan before the end of the month.
Expace was established in 2016 and operates the Kuaizhou-1A launch vehicle.
State-run Expace and private firms including Landspace, iSpace, OneSpace, Linkspace, and Galactic Energy are developing launch vehicles to provide low-cost launch services domestically and internationally.
CASIC plans LEO communications constellations including the Hongyun wideband and Xingyun narrowband projects.
Expace was planning to carry out the first launch of the larger Kuaizhou-11, which may lift as much as 1,000 kg to 700-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit, before the end of 2018.
Expace, a CASIC subsidiary, will provide the Kuaizhou-11 at $5,000 per kilogram to low Earth orbit.
China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation, through its subsidiary Expace, will provide the Kuaizhou-11 at a rate of $5,000 per kilogram to LEO, which the AFRL-DIU report characterizes as five times less expensive than comparable launch capabilities.
China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) is preparing to launch the Kuaizhou-11 solid propellant launch vehicle in the first half of the year as part of a multiplatform commercial space strategy.
CASIC launched Jilin-1 remote sensing satellites for Chang Guang Satellite Technology Co. Ltd. using its Kuaizhou-1A launcher in January 2017 and September 2018.
CASIC and subsidiary Expace claim launch costs for the Kuaizhou series of between $10,000 and $20,000 per kilogram and expect costs to fall to $5,000 per kilogram.
The China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) subsidiary Expace is expected to launch more Kuaizhou-1A solid rockets in 2019, each 20 m tall and 1.4 m in diameter with a 200-kilogram capacity to 700-kilometer Sun-synchronous orbit.
Expace plans to develop larger solid-fueled launchers including the Kuaizhou-11 and Kuaizhou-21 launch vehicles.
Expace secured $180,000,000 in financing in December 2017 from eight unnamed investors.