In a significant milestone for China's commercial space industry, Beijing-based rocket maker Galactic Energy successfully launched its CERES-1 Y16 carrier rocket on Monday. The launch, which took place at 6:11 p.m. on January 20 from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, marks the first commercial rocket launch in the country for 2025.
Dubbed the \"On Your Shoulders\" mission, the CERES-1 Y16 rocket carried and deployed five satellites into a 535-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit. The payload included the Yunyao-1 37 to 40 satellites and the JTX A-05 satellite, expanding China's capabilities in meteorological observation, environmental monitoring, and remote sensing.
This launch signifies the 16th successful mission of the CERES-1 rocket series, which has now delivered 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-generation research and development and 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 are designed to gather critical data on atmospheric temperature, humidity, pressure, and ionospheric electron density. Such data are essential for enhancing weather forecasting accuracy and can also support satellite internet constellation systems in the mining industry and other sectors.
The JTX A-05 satellite carries a hyperspectral camera payload capable of acquiring high-resolution remote sensing images. This technology has extensive applications in environmental monitoring, industrial emission detection, gas leakage identification, agricultural surveillance, mineral exploration, forest management, and urban planning.
Looking ahead, 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 scheduled to conduct four launches in 2025, with its maiden flight targeted for June.
In addition, the company is making significant strides with its reusable rocket, the Pallas-1. As reported by CGTN at the Airshow China 2024, Galactic Energy's founder and CEO, Liu Baiqi, revealed that the Pallas-1 has completed the development of most key technologies and is expected to have its maiden flight in the first half of this year.
The successful launch of the CERES-1 Y16 and the upcoming developments in Galactic Energy's rocket programs highlight China's growing capabilities and ambitions in the commercial space sector, paving the way for advancements in satellite technology and space exploration.
CGTN's Zhao Chenchen and Zhang Haoyudi contributed to this story.
Reference(s):
CERES-1 Soars: China's first commercial rocket launch of 2025
cgtn.com
