A Kuaizhou 1A carrier rocket was launched by China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, sending four meteorological satellites into orbit. The solid-propellant rocket took off at 5:09 pm and carried four satellites in the Tianmu 1 meteorological observation network into their preset orbits. The Kuaizhou 1A rocket is indigenously developed by China Space Sanjiang Group in Hubei province, a subsidiary of CASIC. Weighing about 30 metric tons, the rocket is capable of sending 200 kilograms of payload into a sun-synchronous orbit, or 300 kg of payload into a low-Earth orbit, according to CASIC. The four … Continue reading China Launches Kuaizhou 1A Rocket, Sending Four Meteorological Satellites in Orbit