Beijing-based rocket maker Galactic Energy has successfully launched the CERES-1 Y16 carrier rocket on Monday, marking China's first commercial rocket launch of 2025.
The CERES-1 Y16 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 rocket delivered five satellites, including the Yunyao-1 37 to 40 and the JTX A-05 satellites, into a 535-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit.
With this launch, the CERES-1 rocket series has completed 16 missions, sending a total of 63 satellites into their designated orbits. Notably, the CERES-1 Y16 is the first rocket manufactured and assembled at Galactic Energy's new-generation research and development base in Ziyang, Sichuan Province.
The four Yunyao-1 satellites are equipped with Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) occultation detection payloads, enabling data acquisition of atmospheric temperature, humidity, pressure, and ionospheric electron density. These capabilities have broad applications in meteorological observation and the verification of satellite internet constellation systems for industries such as mining.
The JTX A-05 satellite carries a hyperspectral camera payload to acquire remote sensing images. This technology 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, in Beijing, Galactic Energy is developing the CERES-2, 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 already completed the development of most key technologies and is expected to have its maiden flight in the first half of this year, according to founder and CEO Liu Baiqi at the Airshow China 2024.
Galactic Energy's advancements in rocket technology mark significant progress in China's commercial space industry, paving the way for increased access to space and a multitude of applications across various sectors.
