Beijing-based rocket maker Galactic Energy marked a significant milestone on Monday, launching the CERES-1 Y16 carrier rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China. The launch, which took place at 6:11 p.m. on January 20, heralds China's first commercial rocket launch of 2025.
The mission, aptly named \"On Your Shoulders,\" successfully delivered five satellites—including the Yunyao-1 37~40 and the JTX A-05—into a sun-synchronous orbit 535 kilometers above the Earth. This achievement brings the total number of satellites sent into orbit by the CERES-1 rocket series to 63 across 16 launches.
The CERES-1 Y16 is particularly noteworthy as it is the first rocket manufactured and assembled at Galactic Energy's new research and development production base in Ziyang, Sichuan Province. The expansion signifies the company's growing capabilities in China's burgeoning commercial space industry.
The four Yunyao-1 satellites are equipped with Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) occultation detection payloads. These advanced instruments enable the collection of vital atmospheric data—such as temperature, humidity, pressure, and ionospheric electron density—that have broad applications in meteorological observation and satellite internet constellation systems, especially within the mining industry.
The JTX A-05 satellite carries a hyperspectral camera payload designed to acquire high-resolution remote sensing images. The data collected will support a variety of fields, including environmental monitoring, industrial emissions detection, gas leakage identification, agricultural surveillance, mineral exploration, forest management, and urban planning.
Meanwhile, Galactic Energy is making strides with the development of the CERES-2, a solid carrier rocket boasting a payload capacity of 1.6 tonnes. According to Chief Government Affairs Officer Meng Xianbo, the CERES-2 is slated for four launches in 2025, with its maiden flight targeted for June. Additionally, the company's reusable rocket, the Pallas-1, has achieved significant progress in key technological developments and is expected to make its debut flight in the first half of this year, according to founder and CEO Liu Baiqi at Airshow China 2024.
Reference(s):
CERES-1 Soars: China's first commercial rocket launch of 2025
cgtn.com
