Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, China – December 5, 2025 – China carried out another successful orbital mission on Friday, launching two advanced VHF Data Exchange System (VDES) satellites from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the northwestern Gobi Desert.
The launch took place at 5:00 p.m. Beijing time (0900 GMT) using a Kuaizhou-1A (KZ-1A) solid-fuel carrier rocket operated by Expace Technology, the commercial arm of the state-owned China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC). The rocket lifted off from Launch Pad LS-95A, and both satellites were confirmed to have entered their planned sun-synchronous orbit approximately eight minutes later.
The two small satellites, developed by CASIC’s Aerospace Xingyun Technology subsidiary, are part of China’s growing maritime communications constellation. VDES technology significantly extends the range of traditional ship-to-shore and ship-to-ship VHF communications by relaying data via satellite, enabling real-time vessel tracking, weather updates, collision warnings, and distress signals across the world’s oceans. Each satellite weighs around 50 kilograms and offers data rates up to 256 kbps, far exceeding legacy systems.
This mission strengthens China’s ability to monitor maritime traffic, especially in strategic areas such as the South China Sea, while also supporting global shipping safety and the International Maritime Organization’s e-Navigation initiative. The satellites will eventually integrate into the broader Xingyun constellation, which aims to provide worldwide coverage for commercial and government users.
The Kuaizhou-1A rocket, known for its rapid preparation and low-cost launches, has now completed more than 20 successful flights since its debut in 2017. Its solid-propellant design allows missions to be readied in days rather than weeks, making it a key asset for China’s fast-growing commercial space sector.
Friday’s launch was China’s 41st orbital mission of 2025 and continues a busy year for the Jiuquan center, which has handled the majority of the country’s solid-rocket flights. Recent missions from the same pad have included weather-monitoring satellites and technology demonstration payloads.
With this successful deployment, China further expands its presence in the global maritime data market and reinforces its position as one of the world’s most active space-faring nations.
