In a significant stride for China's private space industry, Beijing-based rocket manufacturer Galactic Energy successfully launched its CERES-1 Y16 carrier rocket on January 20, marking the nation's first commercial rocket launch of 2025.
The CERES-1 Y16 lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China at 6:11 p.m. local time on a mission aptly named \"On Your Shoulders.\" The rocket deployed five satellites into a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 535 kilometers. Among the payload were the Yunyao-1 37 to 40 satellites and the JTX A-05 satellite.
This launch signifies a milestone for Galactic Energy, as the CERES-1 Y16 is the first rocket constructed at the company's new research and development and production base in Ziyang, Sichuan Province. With this mission, the CERES-1 rocket series has achieved 16 successful launches, delivering a total of 63 satellites into orbit.
The four Yunyao-1 satellites are 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. The satellites are expected to play a vital role in meteorological observation and have potential applications in the development of satellite internet constellation systems for industries such as mining.
The JTX A-05 satellite carries a hyperspectral camera payload designed to capture high-resolution remote sensing images. The data obtained from this satellite will support a range of applications, including environmental monitoring, detection of industrial emissions and gas leaks, agricultural surveillance, mineral exploration, forest management, and urban planning.
Looking ahead, Galactic Energy is advancing the development of its CERES-2 rocket, 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 slated for four launches in 2025, with its maiden flight targeted for June.
Furthermore, the company's reusable rocket, the Pallas-1, has reportedly completed development of most key technologies. Galactic Energy's founder and CEO, Liu Baiqi, indicated that the Pallas-1 is expected to embark on its maiden flight in the first half of this year, as disclosed at Airshow China 2024.
Reference(s):
CERES-1 Soars: China's first commercial rocket launch of 2025
cgtn.com
