KT-1 (KaiTuoZhe-1) Space Launch Vehicle

Last updated: 19 January 2007

KaiTuoZhe-1 (KT-1) is the solid-propellant, four-stage orbital launch vehicle developed by Space Solid Fuel Rocket Carrier Co. Ltd. The launch vehicle was said to be based on the first and second stage of the DF-21 intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM), with a solid third and fourth stage. The KT-1 is capable of placing up to 50kg payload into 600km low earth orbits (LEO).

China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) established Space Solid Fuel Rocket Carrier Co. Ltd. in May 2000 as the primary contractor for its all-solid-propellant space launch vehicle programme. The company was responsible for the development and marketing of the vehicle, with the 6th Space Academy in Inner Mongolia responsible for the solid motors. The development programme officially entered the engineering phase in November 2000, with the third stage successfully tested on 25 February 2001.

The KT-1 is a 13.6m, four-stage design. The 1.4m diameter first stage has four nozzles. The total launch mass is 20t. It is the first Chinese-made space launch vehicle to be equipped with a Strapdown Inertial Navigation System (SINS) for guidance. Capable of being launched from a mobile, truck-based platform, the KT-1 provides the fast deployment of a micro satellite into earth orbit. Without the need to rely on complex launch pad facilities, the vehicle can be launched from almost any location, increasing its survivability in time of war.

The first flight of the KT-1 from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre failed to place a 35.8kg microsatellite KT-1PS into 300 km polar orbit on 15 September 2002 due to a second stage malfunction.

On 16 September 2003, the KT-1 made a second attempt to place a 40kg PS-2 microsatellite into 300km X 300km polar orbit was partially successful. The official report said that its guidance system, fairing separation and satellite-launcher separation work well but also admitted that "not all objectives" were achieved.

CASIC is also currently developing a KT-2 and KT-2A with increased payload, and an air-launched variant of the KT-1.

Truck-mobile KT-1 launch system (Source: Internet)

KT-1 being examined by Chinese engineers (Source: Internet)

Anti-Satellite Weapon Test

Main article: Chinese anti-satellite weapon programme

According to a report by Aviation Weeks and Space Technology on 17 January 2007, U.S. intelligence agencies believed that China carried out a successful anti-satellite (ASAT) weapon test on 11 January, destroying the retired FengYun-1C meteorological satellite with a kinetic kill vehicle launched onboard a modified medium-range ballistic missile, possibly a KT-1 solid-propellant space launch vehicle.

The report suggested that the FengYun-1C satellite (launched in 1999) was attacked by an ASAT system launched from an unknown location near Xichang Satellite Launch Centre (XSLC) as the satellite at 530 miles (853km) altitude 4 degree west of Xichang. The attack occurred at about 17:28 EST on 11 January 2007 (22:28 GMT, 06:28 on 12 January local time).

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