ExPace
| Company type | State-owned enterprise |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace, Commercial space launch |
| Founded | February 2016 |
| Headquarters | Wuhan , China |
Area served | Worldwide (commercial small satellite launch services) |
| Products | Kuaizhou series of launch vehicles (KZ-1, KZ-1A, KZ-11) |
| Owner | China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) |
| Parent | China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) |
ExPace (officially ExPace Technology Corporation and also recognized as CASIC Rocket Technology Company) is a government-owned aerospace enterprise headquartered in Wuhan, Hubei, China. Situated within the Wuhan National Space Industry Base, ExPace functions as the commercial rocket division of the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC), a prominent state-owned manufacturer specializing in spacecraft and missile systems. Founded in February 2016, the company concentrates on creating small satellite launch vehicles designed for deployment into low Earth orbit. ExPace’s mission is to address the increasing market need for cost-effective and dependable small satellite orbital launch services, securing its role in China’s rapidly growing commercial space industry.
Kuaizhou launch vehicles
The Kuaizhou (KZ; ) series of launch vehicles developed by ExPace employ solid-propellant rocket motors, which allow for rapid launch capability without the requirement of fueling prior to liftoff. These rockets are based on technology originating from Chinese anti-satellite (ASAT) and ballistic missile defense (BMD) interceptor systems, with development efforts dating back to 2009. The cost charged by ExPace is roughly US$10,000 per kilogram for payload delivery.
- Kuaizhou 1 (KZ-1):
- Payload destination: Sun-synchronous orbit (SSO);
- Maiden flight: 25 September 2013;
- Kuaizhou 1A:
- Payload destination: low Earth orbit (LEO);
- Maiden flight: 9 January 2017;
- Kuaizhou 11 (KZ-11):
- Specifications include diameter , payload fairing , and lift-off mass ;
- Capable of delivering payloads to LEO and SSO;
- Launch cost approximately US$10,000/kg;
- Maiden flight: 10 July 2020.
Marketplace
China Sanjiang Space Group Co., a CASIC affiliate and recognized as China’s first commercial space launch enterprise, intended to conduct its debut launch in 2017 utilizing ExPace’s KZ-11 vehicle. However, the initial flight of the KZ-11 on 10 July 2020 was unsuccessful in achieving orbit.
ExPace faces competition from various emerging Chinese space companies such as LandSpace, Galactic Energy, LinkSpace, i-Space, OneSpace, and Deep Blue Aerospace.