The Kuaizhou 1A (KZ-1A) is a Chinese commercial small-lift orbital launch vehicle, developed by the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC). It is part of the Kuaizhou family of rockets, originally designed as quick-response military payload carriers. The Kuaizhou 1A was created to offer a more commercially viable version, targeting the growing small satellite launch market. It is a solid-fueled rocket with a high degree of reliability and rapid launch capability, which allows it to deploy payloads into low Earth orbit (LEO) within a short preparation time.

Specs

Height: 19.4 meters (63.6 feet)

Diameter: 1.4 meters (4.6 feet)

Liftoff Mass: 30 metric tons

Payload to Low Earth Orbit (LEO): 300 kg (661 lbs) to 200-300 km altitude

Payload to Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO): 200 kg (440 lbs) to 700 km altitude

Stages: 3 solid-fuel stages + 1 liquid-fuel upper stage

The KZ-1A stands out due to its compact size and relatively low cost, making it appealing to customers needing to launch small satellites, including those for Earth observation, communication, and technology demonstration purposes. It is capable of carrying payloads up to about 200 kg to a 700 km Sun-synchronous orbit (SSO). The Kuaizhou 1A's operational flexibility and ability to be launched from mobile platforms add to its appeal for both governmental and commercial clients, making it a key player in China’s expanding commercial space sector.

The rocket made its maiden flight on January 9, 2017, and has seen several successful launches since then, showcasing its effectiveness in placing small satellites into orbit.

Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center is a Chinese space vehicle launch facility (spaceport) located in the Gobi Desert, Inner Mongolia. It is part of the Dongfeng Aerospace City (Base 10). Although the facility is geographically located within Ejin Banner of Inner Mongolia's Alxa League, it is named after the nearest city, Jiuquan in Gansu Province. The launch center straddles both sides of the Ruo Shui river.

It was founded in 1958, the first of China's four spaceports. As with all Chinese launch facilities, it is remote and generally closed to foreigners.

Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center is usually used to launch vehicles into lower and medium orbits with large orbital inclination angles, as well as testing medium to long-range missiles. Its facilities are state of the art and provide support to every phase of a satellite launch campaign. The site includes the Technical Center, the Launch Complex, the Launch Control Center, the Mission Command and Control Center and various other logistical support systems.

The center covers 2800 km (1739.8 miles) and may have housing for as many as 20,000 people. The facilities and launch support equipment were likely modelled on Soviet counterparts and the Soviet Union likely provided technical support to Jiuquan.

The launch center has been the focus of many of China's ventures into space, including their first satellite Dong Fang Hong I in 1970, and their first crewed space mission, Shenzhou 5 on 15 October 2003. As of 2021, all Chinese crewed space flights, meaning all flights in the Shenzhou program including crewed flights to the Tiangong space station, have launched from Jiuquan.

In August 2016, China launched the first quantum communication satellite, the "Quantum Experiments at Space Scale", from the center.

In August 2018, Chinese private rocket manufacturing startups i-Space and OneSpace launched sub-orbital rockets from the center. On July 25, 2019, the first Chinese private orbital launch took place from Jiuquan as I-Space launched their Hyperbola-1 rocket.