China’s Galactic Energy Launches Ceres-1 Rocket for the Second Time

Chinese commercial launch provider Galactic Energy orbited five satellites on Tuesday, Nov. 7, in the second successful flight of the four-stage Ceres-1 booster. The launch took place from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert.

The successful flight made Galactic Energy the first private Chinese company to successfully launch an orbital rocket for the second time. Payloads launched on this flight included:

Satellite: Baoyun
Purpose: Technology demonstration/Earth observation
Operator: Spacety

Satellite: Lize-1
Purpose: Technology demonstration
Operator: Spacety

Satellite: Golden Bauhinia-1 03
Purpose: Earth observation
Operator: ZeroG Lab/HKATG

Satellite: Golden Bauhinia-5
Purpose: Earth observation
Operator: Starwiz/HKATG

Satellite: Tianjin University-1
Purpose: Earth observation
Operator: Chang Guang Satellite Technology/Tianjin Yunyao Aerospace

Ceres-1, which is also known as Gushenxing-1, uses three solid-fuel stages topped by a fourth stage powered by hydrazine. The booster is capable of launching 350 kg to low Earth orbit or 230 kg to a 700-km high sun synchronous orbit.

Ceres-1 orbited the Tianqi 11 Internet of Things satellite during its maiden flight on Nov. 7, 2020.