In a significant milestone for China's burgeoning commercial space industry, Beijing-based rocket maker Galactic Energy successfully launched its CERES-1 Y16 carrier rocket on January 20, 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., embarking on a mission aptly named \"On Your Shoulders.\" The rocket soared into the skies, delivering five satellites into a 535-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit. The payload included the Yunyao-1 37~40 satellites and the JTX A-05 satellite, each equipped with advanced technology to enhance data collection and remote sensing capabilities.
This launch signifies the 16th successful mission for the CERES-1 rocket series, which has now transported a total of 63 satellites into their designated orbits. Notably, the CERES-1 Y16 is the first rocket manufactured and assembled at Galactic Energy's new-generation research and development and production base in Ziyang, Sichuan Province, highlighting the company's expanding operational capacity.
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. The data gathered holds broad applications in meteorological observation and offers valuable insights for industries such as mining, particularly in verifying demonstration scenarios for satellite internet constellation systems.
The JTX A-05 satellite carries a hyperspectral camera payload designed to capture high-resolution remote sensing images. This technology has versatile applications across multiple fields, including environmental monitoring, industrial emissions detection, gas leakage identification, agricultural surveillance, mineral exploration, forest management, and urban planning, contributing to sustainable development and resource management.
Looking ahead, Galactic Energy is advancing the development of the CERES-2, a solid carrier rocket with a payload capacity of 1.6 tonnes. According to Meng Xianbo, the company's Chief Government Affairs Officer, the CERES-2 is slated to conduct four launches in 2025, with its maiden flight targeted for June. This expansion reflects the company's commitment to increasing access to space and fostering innovation within the industry.
Meanwhile, at Airshow China 2024, the company's founder and CEO, Liu Baiqi, revealed that Galactic Energy's reusable rocket, the Pallas-1, has completed the development of most key technologies and is expected to have its maiden flight in the first half of this year. The Pallas-1 represents a significant step towards reusable launch vehicles, aiming to reduce costs and increase the frequency of space missions.
Reference(s):
CERES-1 Soars: China's first commercial rocket launch of 2025
cgtn.com
