HELSINKI \u2014 Chinese launch firm CAS Space is preparing for the inaugural launch of its reusable Kinetica-2 liquid rocket in late March, carrying a prototype cargo spacecraft.<\/p>\n
Launch of the Kinetica-2 is now scheduled for late March from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert, according<\/a> to Chinese outlet Science and Technology Innovation Board Daily. The flight will carry a prototype of the Qingzhou-1 cargo spacecraft developed by the Innovation Academy for Microsatellites of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IAMCAS).<\/p>\n Qingzhou-1 is one of two low-cost space station resupply spacecraft<\/a> being developed under a program initiated by China\u2019s human spaceflight agency, CMSEO, to support the Tiangong space station. A full version of the spacecraft is currently also being produced. CAS Space itself is a commercial spinoff from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).\u00a0<\/p>\n Kinetica-2 is a 53-meter-long launcher with three 3.35m-diameter core stages. Its core stages each use three YF\u2011102 kerosene-liquid oxygen engines developed by state-owned space giant CASC. It is designed to carry up to 12,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit or around 7,800 kg to a 500-kilometer-altitude sun-synchronous orbit, with plans for reusability.\u00a0<\/p>\n The entire CAS Space team wishes you a healthy and prosperous Year of the Horse \u2013 Galloping Through the Stars, Soaring Across the Heavens \ud83d\udc0e\ud83d\ude80 \u822a\u5929\u4e8b\u4e1a\u4ece\u65e0\u505c\u6b47 \u2014 CAS Space (@cas_space) February 16, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n CAS Space performed a hot fire test<\/a> of the Kinetica-1 first stage in June 2025, targeting an inaugural launch that fall, before the launch was apparently pushed back. It plans three further Kinetica-2 launches across the rest of 2026, including internet megaconstellation launches and other major national missions, according to the report.<\/p>\n The company is already regularly flying its smaller Kinetica-1 solid rocket. CAS Space aims to launch the Kinetica-1 no fewer than eight times across 2026, including two sea launches. The rocket has flown 11 times<\/a> with one failure. CAS Space conducted its first suborbital launch and capsule landing test<\/a> in January, in a step towards establishing a space tourism service.\u00a0<\/p>\n Chinese launch activities have paused in recent weeks due to Chinese New Year celebrations and holidays. The most recent activity saw an in-flight abort test<\/a> for the new\u2013generanation Mengzhou spacecraft, which doubled as a simulated first stage orbital flight test for the Long March 10A, which ended with a successful powered descent and splashdown landing test for reusability. This was followed by a Jielong-3 launch of a remote sensing satellite for Pakistan Feb. 12.<\/p>\n Kinetica-2 is one of a number of new, potentially reusable Chinese rockets set to debut<\/a> in 2026, bringing new capabilities and signaling a further increase in launch cadence.<\/p>\n \n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n \t
\u9a6c\u8f7d\u661f\u9014 \u7bad\u5578\u4e5d\u5929
\u91d1\u9a79\u8f9e\u5c81\uff0c\u8f7d\u661f\u9014\u8363\u5149\u5f52\u822a
\u798f\u9a6c\u8fce\u6625\uff0c\u8d74\u5929\u7a79\u65b0\u7a0b\u518d\u542f<\/p>\n
\u6b63\u5982\u65b0\u6625\u706f\u706b\u957f\u660e\u4e0d\u7184
\u63a2\u7d22\u811a\u6b65\u6c38\u4e0d\u6b62\u6b65\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/SxuegTWSko<\/a><\/p>\n