In a landmark achievement for China's commercial space industry, Beijing-based rocket maker Galactic Energy successfully launched its CERES-1 Y16 carrier rocket on January 20, 2025. The launch, which took place at 6:11 p.m. from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, marks the first commercial rocket launch in China for 2025.
Dubbed \"On Your Shoulders,\" the mission delivered five satellites into a 535-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit. Among these were the Yunyao-1 37~40 satellites and the JTX A-05 satellite.
The four Yunyao-1 satellites are equipped with Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) occultation detection payloads. These advanced instruments enable the acquisition of atmospheric data, including temperature, humidity, pressure, and ionospheric electron density. The satellites hold significant potential for applications in meteorological observation and the development of satellite internet constellation systems for industries such as mining.
The JTX A-05 satellite is outfitted with a hyperspectral camera payload designed to capture high-resolution remote sensing images. This technology can be applied across multiple fields, including environmental monitoring, industrial emissions detection, gas leakage identification, agricultural surveillance, mineral exploration, forest management, and urban planning.
To date, the CERES-1 rocket series has completed 16 launches, sending 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.
In Beijing, Galactic Energy is also developing the CERES-2, a solid carrier rocket with a payload capability 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.
Furthermore, the company's reusable rocket, the Pallas-1, has completed the development of most key technologies. Galactic Energy's founder and CEO, Liu Baiqi, revealed at Airshow China 2024 that the Pallas-1 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
