In a significant stride for China's burgeoning commercial space industry, Beijing-based Galactic Energy successfully launched the CERES-1 Y16 carrier rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China at 6:11 p.m. on January 20. This marks the nation's first commercial rocket launch of 2025.
The mission, aptly named \"On Your Shoulders,\" deployed five satellites into a sun-synchronous orbit 535 kilometers above Earth. Among these were the Yunyao-1 37 to 40 satellites and the JTX A-05 satellite.
To date, the CERES-1 rocket series has completed 16 launches, placing 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 research and development 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 critical atmospheric data, including temperature, humidity, pressure, and ionospheric electron density. Such capabilities hold broad applications in meteorological observation and the verification of satellite internet constellation systems for industries like mining.
The JTX A-05 satellite carries a hyperspectral camera payload designed to capture high-resolution remote sensing images. The data collected will have versatile applications across environmental monitoring, industrial emissions detection, gas leakage identification, agricultural surveillance, mineral exploration, forest management, and urban planning.
Meanwhile, 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.
Furthermore, the company's reusable rocket, the Pallas-1, has made significant progress, having completed the development of most key technologies. Founder and CEO Liu Baiqi disclosed that the Pallas-1 is expected to have its inaugural flight in the first half of this year.
Galactic Energy's ambitious plans and successful launches underscore China's rapid advancements in the commercial aerospace sector, opening new frontiers for innovation and international collaboration.
Reference(s):
CERES-1 Soars: China's first commercial rocket launch of 2025
cgtn.com
