Kuaizhou 11 Launches CentiSpace-1 Group 05 — 17 June 2026 Recap

What happened?

A Kuaizhou 11 rocket successfully launched the CentiSpace-1 Group 05 navigation-augmentation satellites at 03:58 UTC on 17 June 2026 from Launch Area 95A at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northern China. The mission, operated by ExPace, was confirmed as a success shortly after liftoff.

The Kuaizhou 11 ("Fast Ship 11") is a Chinese solid-fueled small-to-medium launch vehicle designed for rapid, low-cost deployment of satellites to low Earth orbit. It is built by ExPace, a commercial subsidiary of the state-owned China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC).

When did the launch happen?

Liftoff occurred at 03:58 UTC (11:58 local time in China) on 17 June 2026. The vehicle departed from Launch Area 95A, one of the dedicated pads at Jiuquan used for solid-propellant commercial launchers.

What is the payload?

CentiSpace-1 is a Chinese commercial low Earth orbit (LEO) constellation dedicated to satellite navigation augmentation. The system is designed to broadcast enhancement signals that sharpen the accuracy of global navigation satellite systems such as BeiDou and GPS, targeting positioning precision at the centimeter level — the origin of the "CentiSpace" name.

This Group 05 batch continues the deployment of the constellation, which is operated by Beijing-based Future Navigation Technology. Each incremental group expands coverage and strengthens the redundancy of the augmentation network in LEO. Navigation-augmentation constellations placed in low orbits offer stronger signals and faster convergence times than augmentation delivered solely from distant geostationary satellites.

What is the Kuaizhou 11 rocket?

Kuaizhou 11 is a three-stage solid-propellant launch vehicle with an optional liquid upper stage, capable of delivering roughly 1,000 kg to a 700 km sun-synchronous orbit. It is a larger sibling to the Kuaizhou 1A, extending ExPace's family of quick-response launchers built around solid-motor technology derived from CASIC's missile heritage.

Solid-fueled vehicles like Kuaizhou 11 can be stored fueled and launched on short notice, which suits the rapid, repeatable cadence needed to build out LEO constellations. The vehicle uses a mobile, road-transportable configuration that reduces reliance on complex fixed launch infrastructure.

Why launch from Jiuquan?

The Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, established in 1958, is China's oldest and most-used spaceport and its primary site for crewed missions and a wide range of commercial launches. Its inland location in the Gobi Desert makes it well suited for orbital inclinations serving navigation and Earth-observation constellations. Launch Area 95A hosts commercial solid-rocket operations, including ExPace's Kuaizhou series.

Did the launch succeed?

Yes. The mission was declared a success, with the CentiSpace-1 Group 05 satellites delivered to their intended orbit. Each successful Kuaizhou 11 flight reinforces the vehicle's role in China's growing commercial launch sector and adds operational nodes to the CentiSpace augmentation network.

How to track the satellites

Once cataloged, the CentiSpace-1 Group 05 satellites can be followed in real time on Cosmik's live 3D solar-system and satellite map. You can browse upcoming missions on the rocket launch schedule, review more Chinese and global missions on the latest launch news page, and learn the basics on our guide to tracking satellites.

Launch data for this recap is sourced from The Space Devs Launch Library. Additional background is drawn from public references on the Kuaizhou rocket family and the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.

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