In a significant milestone for China's commercial space industry, Beijing-based rocket maker Galactic Energy successfully launched the CERES-1 Y16 carrier rocket on Monday, marking the nation's first commercial rocket launch of 2025.
The CERES-1 Y16 rocket lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China at 6:11 p.m. on January 20, embarking on a mission titled \"On Your Shoulders.\" The rocket delivered five satellites into a 535-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit, including the Yunyao-1 37 to 40 satellites and the JTX A-05 satellite.
This launch signifies the 16th successful mission of the CERES-1 rocket series, which has now placed 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 and production base in Ziyang, Sichuan Province.
The Yunyao-1 satellites are equipped with Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) occultation detection payloads, enabling the acquisition of critical atmospheric data such as temperature, humidity, pressure, and ionospheric electron density. These capabilities have broad applications in meteorological observation and hold promise for satellite internet constellation systems in industries like mining.
The JTX A-05 satellite features a hyperspectral camera payload designed to capture high-resolution remote sensing images. This technology can be applied across various sectors, including environmental monitoring, industrial emissions detection, gas leakage identification, agricultural surveillance, mineral exploration, forest management, and urban planning.
Meanwhile, Galactic Energy is advancing the development of the CERES-2 rocket, a solid carrier with 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.
The company is also preparing for the inaugural flight of its reusable rocket, the Pallas-1. Having completed the development of most key technologies, the Pallas-1 is anticipated to make its first flight in the first half of this year, as reported by founder and CEO Liu Baiqi at Airshow China 2024.
Galactic Energy's advancements reflect China's growing ambitions in the commercial space sector, positioning the country as a significant player in space exploration and satellite deployment. These developments are poised to offer new opportunities for industries reliant on satellite technology and contribute to the global space community.
Reference(s):
CERES-1 Soars: China's first commercial rocket launch of 2025
cgtn.com
