Beijing-based rocket maker Galactic Energy has successfully launched the CERES-1 Y16 carrier rocket, marking China'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. on January 20, on a mission dubbed \"On Your Shoulders.\"
The CERES-1 Y16 carried five satellites into a 535-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit, including the Yunyao-1 37~40 satellites and the JTX A-05 satellite. This launch brings the total number of satellites sent into orbit by the CERES-1 series to 63 across 16 successful missions.
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. This milestone signifies a significant advancement in the company's manufacturing capabilities.
The four Yunyao-1 satellites are equipped with Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) occultation detection payloads. These enable the acquisition of vital atmospheric data, including temperature, humidity, pressure, and ionospheric electron density. The data have broad applications in meteorological observation and offer potential in developing satellite internet constellation systems for industries such as mining.
The JTX A-05 satellite is equipped with a hyperspectral camera payload designed to acquire high-resolution remote sensing images. These images can be applied in multiple fields, including environmental monitoring, industrial emissions detection, gas leakage identification, agricultural surveillance, mineral exploration, forest management, and urban planning.
Meanwhile, Galactic Energy is making strides in the development of its CERES-2 rocket, 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.
The company's reusable rocket, the Pallas-1, has reached significant development milestones, having completed most key technologies. Founder and CEO Liu Baiqi announced that the Pallas-1 is expected to have its maiden flight in the first half of this year, highlighting the company's continued innovation in reusable rocket technology.
Reference(s):
CERES-1 Soars: China's first commercial rocket launch of 2025
cgtn.com
