Kuaizhou lifts off successfully, places satellite in orbit

[Video by Zhang Jie]

China launched a high-resolution Earth-observation satellite into space aboard a Kuaizhou 1A carrier rocket on Wednesday afternoon, according to the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp.

In a statement, the State-owned space contractor said that the solid-propellant rocket blasted off at 2:19 pm from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern China, and placed the satellite — a Jilin-1 Gaofen-02F — into a preset orbit shortly after. The mission marked the 12th flight of the Kuaizhou 1A.

Developed by Changguang Satellite Technology in Northeast China's Jilin province, the Jilin-1 Gaofen-02F is a high-resolution optical remote-sensing satellite.

Kuaizhou is the largest solid-propellant rocket class in China. The country's other main rocket class, the Long March series, mainly relies on liquid fuel.

According to CASIC, the 20-meter tall Kuaizhou 1A has a liftoff weight of about 30 metric tons. It is capable of taking 200 kilograms of payload into a sun-synchronous orbit, or 300 kg of payload into a low-Earth orbit.

Since its maiden flight in January 2017, the rocket has lifted 21 satellites into space.