Kaituozhe    KT-1 & KT-2

China Aerospace Science & Industry Corp.

China has developed a small commercial satellite launch vehicle, called KT-1 (Kaituozhe-1). 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 100kg payload into 600km low earth orbits (SSO).

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 13.6 m, four-stage design. The 1.34 m diameter first stage has four nozzles. The total launch mass is 20 t. 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.

The first flight of the KT-1 from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre failed to place a 35.8 kg 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 300 km 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.

The KT-2 (Kaituozhe-2) rocket-variants are all-solid-propellant, three or four-stage orbital launch vehicles possibly based on the design of the DF-31/DF-41 intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM).

Developed by Solid Fuel Rocket Carrier Co. Ltd., the KT-2 was designed for geosyncronous (GTO) and polar orbits missions with an estimated payload capability of 300kg. With an estimated launch mass of 40 t, the KT-2 consists of a 1.70 m diameter first stage motor, topped by a large and a short stage motor of 1.00 m diameter.

The KT-2A  is designed for polar orbits missions with greater payload capability (~400 kg and up to three separate payloads). The vehicle consists of two solid boosters with 1.00 m diameter, two 1.70 m diameter core and second stage motors like that of the DF-41 ICBM, a 1.00 m diameter third stage motor like that the KT-1, and an enormous fairing.