In a significant milestone for China's commercial space industry, Beijing-based rocket maker Galactic Energy successfully launched the CERES-1 Y16 rocket on January 20, marking the nation's first commercial rocket launch of 2025. The rocket blasted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China at 6:11 p.m., carrying five satellites into a 535-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit.
The mission, aptly named \"On Your Shoulders,\" delivered the Yunyao-1 37 to 40 satellites and the JTX A-05 satellite into their pre-set orbits. This launch signifies the 16th successful mission of the CERES-1 rocket series, which has now sent a total of 63 satellites into space. Notably, the CERES-1 Y16 is the first rocket 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 collection of critical atmospheric data, including temperature, humidity, pressure, and ionospheric electron density. Such data have broad applications in meteorological observation and can facilitate the development of satellite internet constellation systems for industries like mining.
The JTX A-05 satellite carries a hyperspectral camera payload designed to acquire high-resolution remote sensing images. This technology has multifaceted uses across environmental monitoring, industrial emissions detection, gas leakage identification, agricultural surveillance, mineral exploration, forest management, and urban planning.
Meanwhile, Galactic Energy is forging ahead with the development of the CERES-2, a solid carrier rocket boasting 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, the company's reusable rocket, the Pallas-1, has completed the development of key technologies and is slated for its inaugural flight in the first half of this year, as revealed by founder and CEO Liu Baiqi at the Airshow China 2024.
Reference(s):
CERES-1 Soars: China's first commercial rocket launch of 2025
cgtn.com