On March 17 at 4:07 p.m., China’s CERES-1 commercial rocket lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the northwestern region of the Chinese mainland. Dubbed "Auld Lang Syne," the mission successfully propelled eight satellites into a 535-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit.
Among the payload were five state-of-the-art satellites, including units from the Yunyao-1 series and the JTX A-06 and -07 models. Equipped with advanced Global Navigation Satellite System occultation detection payloads, the Yunyao-1 satellites are designed to capture critical atmospheric data such as temperature, humidity, pressure, and ionospheric electron density.
This innovative fleet is part of a bold initiative by Tianjin-based Yunyao Aerospace to build a commercial meteorological constellation of 90 satellites. The constellation aims to establish a real-time global atmospheric and ionospheric detection system, delivering weather forecasts with a latency of under 20 minutes—a breakthrough that could significantly benefit Belt and Road partner countries and various industries globally.
Adding to this momentum, Beijing-based rocket company Galactic Energy has achieved 17 successful commercial launches in the Chinese mainland, with this mission marking the first commercial launch of the year. This advancement not only highlights rapid progress in commercial space technology but also sets the stage for enhanced global connectivity and monitoring systems.
Reference(s):
China's CERES-1 commercial rocket sends 8 satellites into preset orbit
cgtn.com
