Chinese commercial Ceres-1 rocket launches 5 weather satellites to orbit (video)

Galactic Energy Blazes a Trail with Successful Small Rocket Launch, Aims Higher

In the wee hours of January 20, Galactic Energy, a rising star in China’s commercial space sector, marked another triumph with its Ceres-1 rocket. The four-stage, solid propellant rocket soared skywards from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center at 5:11 a.m. EST, carrying a precious cargo of five satellites bound for orbit.

Aboard the flight were four Yunyao-1 commercial meteorological satellites, harnessing GNSS occultation payloads to detect atmospheric changes via GPS and Beidou signals. Accompanying them was the Jitianxing A-05 satellite, bearing a hyperspectral camera to capture detailed Earth imagery.

This launch, China’s fourth orbital mission this year, was a resounding success. Galactic Energy, with 16 successful launches out of 17 attempts, is proving itself a force to be reckoned with in the commercial space industry.

But the company isn’t resting on its laurels. Galactic Energy is eyeing an even more ambitious launch later this year: the Pallas-1 rocket. A liquid propellant vehicle capable of sending over 8,000 kg to low Earth orbit, Pallas-1 promises to be a giant leap forward. Standing at 42 meters tall, it will dwarf the 19-meter Ceres-1, which can carry just 400 kg to LEO.

With each launch, Galactic Energy is pushing boundaries, fueling excitement, and chalking up achievements. As it looks to the future, the sky truly seems to be the limit for this trailblazing Chinese company.