In a significant milestone for China's burgeoning commercial space industry, Beijing-based rocket manufacturer Galactic Energy successfully launched the CERES-1 Y16 carrier rocket on January 20, 2025. Liftoff occurred at 6:11 p.m. from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, marking the first commercial rocket launch in China for the year 2025.
The mission, aptly named \"On Your Shoulders,\" delivered five satellites into a 535-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit. Among them were the Yunyao-1 37~40 satellites, 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—that have broad applications in meteorological observation and satellite internet constellation systems, particularly for industries such as mining.
The fifth satellite, JTX A-05, carries a hyperspectral camera payload designed to capture high-resolution remote sensing images. The data obtained from this satellite will support a wide range of sectors, including environmental monitoring, industrial emissions detection, gas leakage identification, agricultural surveillance, mineral exploration, forest management, and urban planning.
This successful launch brings the total number of satellites deployed by the CERES-1 rocket series to 63 across 16 missions. Notably, the CERES-1 Y16 is the first rocket manufactured and assembled in Galactic Energy's new-generation research and development and production base located in Ziyang, Sichuan Province.
Looking ahead, Galactic Energy is poised to expand its capabilities 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 slated to conduct four launches in 2025, with its maiden flight targeted for June.
Additionally, the company's reusable rocket, the Pallas-1, has made significant strides, having 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 embark on 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
