Beijing-based rocket manufacturer Galactic Energy achieved a significant milestone on Monday with the successful launch of its CERES-1 Y16 rocket, marking China's first commercial rocket launch of 2025.
The CERES-1 Y16 carrier rocket lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China at 6:11 p.m. on January 20. The mission, dubbed \"On Your Shoulders,\" delivered five satellites—Yunyao-1 37~40 and JTX A-05—into a 535-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit.
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.
The four Yunyao-1 satellites are equipped with Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) occultation detection payloads. These payloads enable the satellites to gather data on atmospheric temperature, humidity, pressure, and ionospheric electron density. Such capabilities hold significant promise for meteorological observation and the development of satellite internet constellation systems for industries like mining.
The JTX A-05 satellite boasts a hyperspectral camera payload designed to acquire high-resolution remote sensing images. The data collected can be applied across various fields, including environmental monitoring, industrial emissions detection, gas leakage identification, agricultural surveillance, mineral exploration, forest management, and urban planning.
In addition to the CERES-1 successes, Galactic Energy is advancing its space endeavors with the development of the CERES-2 rocket, 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.
The company is also making strides with its reusable rocket, the Pallas-1. Galactic Energy's founder and CEO, Liu Baiqi, revealed at Airshow China 2024 that 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.
Reference(s):
CERES-1 Soars: China's first commercial rocket launch of 2025
cgtn.com
