In a significant milestone for China's commercial space industry, Beijing-based rocket maker Galactic Energy successfully launched the CERES-1 Y16 carrier rocket on Monday, marking the nation's first commercial rocket launch of 2025.
The CERES-1 Y16 lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China at 6:11 p.m. on January 20 on a mission aptly named \"On Your Shoulders.\" The rocket carried five satellites into a 535-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit, including the Yunyao-1 37-40 satellites and the JTX A-05 satellite.
This launch signifies the 16th successful mission for the CERES-1 rocket series, which has now sent a total of 63 satellites into their designated orbits. Notably, the CERES-1 Y16 is the first rocket to be manufactured and assembled at Galactic Energy's new-generation research and development and production base in Ziyang, Sichuan Province, highlighting the company's expanding capabilities.
The four Yunyao-1 satellites are equipped with Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) occultation detection payloads. These advanced instruments enable the acquisition of critical atmospheric data, including temperature, humidity, pressure, and ionospheric electron density. Such data have wide-ranging applications in meteorological observation and can aid in the development of satellite internet constellation systems for industries like mining.
The JTX A-05 satellite, on the other hand, is fitted with a hyperspectral camera payload designed to capture high-resolution remote sensing images. This technology holds significant potential in various fields, including environmental monitoring, industrial emissions detection, gas leakage identification, agricultural surveillance, mineral exploration, forest management, and urban planning.
As Galactic Energy continues to propel China's commercial space endeavors, the company is also making strides with new developments. In Beijing, efforts are underway on the CERES-2, a solid carrier rocket with a payload capacity of 1.6 tonnes. According to Meng Xianbo, Galactic Energy's Chief Government Affairs Officer, the CERES-2 is slated to conduct four launches in 2025, with its maiden flight targeted for June.
Additionally, the company's reusable rocket, the Pallas-1, has made substantial progress, having completed the development of most key technologies. As revealed by founder and CEO Liu Baiqi at Airshow China 2024, the Pallas-1 is expected to embark on its maiden flight in the first half of this year.
Reference(s):
CERES-1 Soars: China's first commercial rocket launch of 2025
cgtn.com
