China’s private aerospace company, Galactic Energy, has achieved a remarkable feat by completing two commercial launch missions within just five days. On Friday, the CERES-1 Y17 rocket lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, deploying six satellites into a sun-synchronous orbit 535 kilometers above Earth.
The satellites, named Yunyao 43-48, are part of the ambitious Yunyao constellation being developed by Tianjin-based Yunyao Aerospace. The constellation aims to consist of 90 commercial meteorological satellites, forming a real-time global atmospheric and ionospheric detection system. This network is expected to provide advanced weather forecasting information to countries participating in China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
With this latest launch, Galactic Energy’s flagship CERES-1 rocket has successfully completed 18 missions, delivering a total of 77 satellites into their designated orbits. The Beijing-based company proudly holds records in China’s private aerospace sector for the largest number of rocket launches, the most satellites delivered, and the highest success rate in rocket launches.
This rapid succession of successful launches highlights China’s growing capabilities in commercial spaceflight and underscores the nation’s commitment to advancing space technology. The deployment of the Yunyao satellites is set to enhance global meteorological services, benefiting numerous countries around the world.
