HELSINKI — China’s Galactic Energy conducted its third Ceres-1 solid rocket sea launch Thursday, successfully sending six satellites into orbit.
The Ceres-1 lifted off from a transport erector launcher on a mobile sea platform off the coast of Haiyang, Shandong province, at 1:22 a.m. Eastern (0522 UTC) Aug. 29.
Galactic Energy confirmed launch success within an hour of liftoff. Aboard were six remote sensing satellites for commercial customers.
Three of the satellites were Yunyao-1 spacecraft, equipped with GNSS occultation (GNSS-RO) and infrared imaging payloads, intended to provide meteorological data for commercial firm Yunyao Yuhang.
Also aboard was Jitian-A03, the first satellite for Suzhou Jitian Xingzhou Space Technology Co. Ltd. The satellite is equipped with a hyperspectral remote sensing payload for high-resolution optical remote sensing technology verification. Hyperspectral sensors capture data across hundreds of narrow, contiguous spectral bands, allowing these sensors to distinguish between materials, making these useful for applications including mineral exploration, agriculture, and environmental monitoring.
Jitian Xingzhou is focused on developing and manufacturing advanced optical payloads, high-efficiency remote sensing satellites, and providing unique data services for various applications. It previously contributed a lightweight optical camera for the Star Pool-1B satellite launched on another Ceres-1 launch in August 2023.
The Suxing-1 (01) was developed by Shanghai AIS Aerospace Technology Co., Ltd. and carries an optical payload. The satellite will be used by Northwestern Polytechnical University (NPU) Taicang Yangtze River Delta Research Institute, according to Beijing News.
The hyperspectral Tianfu Gaofen-2 satellite, also known as Huaxiangyuan-1, was developed by Hunan Hangsheng Satellite Technology Co., Ltd. The satellite will be operated by Xiamen Tianwei Technology Co., Ltd., which will use the data for applications in fields including environmental monitoring, resource management and urban planning.
Ceres-2 and Pallas-1 on the horizon
The mission, codenamed “How far I’ll go,” was the 15th flight of the Ceres-1 solid rocket and the third sea launch. The launcher experienced its only failure in September 2023.
Sea launches from off Haiyang provide China with another option for spaceport access. Mobile sea platforms have provided launch opportunities for Long March 11, Jielong, Gravity-1 and Ceres-1 solid rockets.
Chinese language news reports in July stated that the company was working on Ceres-2, an upgraded solid rocket.
Galactic Energy was founded in February 2018. It is also preparing for the first launch of its Pallas-1 kerosene-liquid oxygen launcher. Launch is expected late this year or in early 2025, according to July statements.
Pallas-1 is a kerosene-liquid oxygen rocket which will eventually be adapted for first stage reusability. It will have a payload capacity of 8,000 kg to a 200-kilometer-altitude low Earth orbit (LEO), according to the company’s website. A version with three core stages will be capable of carrying 17,500 kg to LEO.
Galactic Energy will be competing with firms such as Landspace, Deep Blue Aerospace and Space Pioneer for contracts to launch batches of satellites for China’s megaconstellations.
Thursday’s launch was the 38th Chinese orbital launch attempt of 2024. The mission followed the launch of the classified ChinaSat-4A satellite into geosynchronous transfer orbit Aug. 22.China’s state-owned main space contractor stated early this year that the country targeted around 100 launches across 2024, including commercial activity. The debut of the new Long March 12 launcher could take place from a new commercial pad as soon as next month.
