Private rocket maker sends remote-sensing satellite into orbit

Galactic Energy, a private rocket maker in Beijing, carried out on Friday the eighth flight mission of its CERES 1 rocket to deploy a remote-sensing satellite into orbit.

The CERES 1 Y8 rocket blasted off at 12:57 pm at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern China's Gobi Desert and placed the Jilin 1 Wide-View 02A satellite into its preset orbit, the company said in a news release.

The Y8 in the rocket's designation code meant that the rocket was the eighth of its type.

This was China's 38th rocket launch in 2023.

Remote sensing satellites refer to those tasked with observing, surveying and measuring objects on land or at sea as well as monitoring weather.

Built by Changguang Satellite Technology, a State-owned enterprise in Jilin province, the Jilin 1 Wide-View 02A is tasked with obtaining high-definition images for land resources survey, urban construction planning and agricultural and forestry businesses.

Galactic Energy has successively carried out eight orbital launches in a row, far outperforming other private competitors. These CERES 1 flights have placed a total of 29 satellites into space.

The solid-propellant Ceres 1 is about 20 meters tall, has a diameter of 1.4 meters and mainly burns solid propellant. With a liftoff weight of 33 metric tons, it is capable of sending a 300-kilogram satellite or several satellites with a combined weight of 300 kg, to a 500-km sun synchronous orbit, or 350-kg payloads to a low-Earth orbit at an altitude of 200 km.

The rocket is ideal for clients in search of a small, cost-efficient launch vehicle to deploy mini satellites, its designers said.