In a significant milestone for China's burgeoning commercial space industry, Beijing-based rocket maker Galactic Energy successfully launched the CERES-1 Y16 carrier rocket on January 20, marking the first commercial rocket launch in the Chinese mainland for 2025.
The CERES-1 Y16 rocket blasted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China at 6:11 p.m. local time on a mission aptly named \"On Your Shoulders.\" The mission delivered five satellites—Yunyao-1 37 to 40 and the JTX A-05—into a 535-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit.
This launch represents the 16th mission for the CERES-1 rocket series, which has so far successfully sent 63 satellites into their designated orbits. Notably, the CERES-1 Y16 is the first rocket manufactured and assembled at Galactic Energy's new 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 advanced instruments enable the acquisition of vital atmospheric data, including temperature, humidity, pressure, and ionospheric electron density. The satellites hold broad application prospects in meteorological observation and offer valuable data for satellite internet constellation systems, particularly benefiting industries such as mining.
The JTX A-05 satellite carries a hyperspectral camera payload designed to capture 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 significant strides in the development of its next-generation rockets. In Beijing, the company is working on 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 expected to conduct four launches in 2025, with its maiden flight targeted for June.
Additionally, Galactic Energy's reusable rocket, the Pallas-1, has completed the development of most key technologies. The Pallas-1 is anticipated to have its maiden flight in the first half of this year, as learned from the company's founder and CEO, Liu Baiqi, during Airshow China 2024.
The successful launch of CERES-1 Y16 not only signifies a strong start to China's commercial space activities in 2025 but also underscores the rapid advancements being made by private enterprises in the Chinese mainland's aerospace sector. These developments are poised to contribute significantly to global space exploration and satellite technology applications.
Reference(s):
CERES-1 Soars: China's first commercial rocket launch of 2025
cgtn.com
