Kuaizhou 1A | Traffic VDES A & B

Two technology demonstration satellites for satellite transmissions of signals for the VHF Data Exchange System (VDES), a successor to the current Automatic Identification System (AIS) on ships and maritime vessels for traffic management at sea with higher bandwidth on new frequencies for secure communications and e-navigation. This project is a joint effort by the China Ministry of Transport's China Transport Telecommunications Information Center and SpaceSail, operator of the Qianfan/G60 constellation.

Mission Details

  • Launch date: December 5, 2025 at 09:00 AM UTC
  • Launch vehicle: Kuaizhou 1A
  • Operator: ExPace
  • Launch site: Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
  • Mission type: Technology