China Launches CAS-Developed Chuangxin-16 Satellite

China successfully launched the Chuangxin-16 (“Innovation-16”) test satellite into space on August 23, developed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and propelled by the Kuaizhou-1A carrier rocket. The rocket blasted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, and the satellite is mainly to be used for scientific experiments, new technology verification and other fields.

Chuangxin-16 was developed by the Innovation Academy for Microsatellites of CAS, and it was the organization’s 43rd satellite launch mission. CAS has now successfully launched 84 satellites covering communications, navigation, remote sensing, science, micro-nano and other fields.

The Kuaizhou-1A carrier rocket is a small solid carrier rocket vehicle launched by ExPac. Its length is about 20 meters, the take-off mass is about 30 tons and maximum diameter reaches 1.4 meters. The carrying capacity of sun-synchronous circular orbit is 200kg/700km, and that of low earth orbit is 300kg. It features high flight reliability, high orbit entry accuracy, a short preparation period, less support requirements and a low launch cost.

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This is the 16th flight of the Kuaizhou-1A carrier rocket, and also the second launch mission of this type of rocket this year. On June 22, Kuaizhou-1A launched a Tianxing-1 test satellite from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. Tianxing-1 is mainly intended for space environment detection and other tests.