Kaituozhe

Chinese IRBM-derived solid-fuel small-lift orbital rocket

China's first attempt at a commercial solid-fuel launcher — privately funded by CASIC, based on the DF-21 IRBM. Both launches in 2002 and 2003 failed to reach orbit, and the programme was cancelled. It was too early for the Chinese commercial launch market; a decade later, others tried again with more success.