At 10:54 a.m. on Wednesday, the Gravity-1 rocket, developed by ORIENSPACE, ignited over the open waters of the East China Sea. The liftoff from a mobile launch deck successfully deployed nine satellites into orbit, alongside an experimental payload. This mission, directed by the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, represents China's inaugural far-sea launch of a private commercial rocket and the third sea-based operation for the Gravity-1 platform.
A Landmark in Commercial Space
The Gravity-1 launch vehicle holds the distinction as the world's first medium-lift rocket to utilize all-solid-propellant strap-on motors. Standing 30 meters tall and weighing 405 tons, the rocket generates 600 tonnes of liftoff thrust. Its assembly took place at the Oriental Aerospace Port in Haiyang, East China's Shandong Province, which serves as the nation's leading commercial maritime launch base. The rocket boasts a payload capacity of 6.5 tons to low Earth orbit and 4.2 tons to a 500-km sun-synchronous orbit.
Beyond Satellite Deployment: A Technical Validation
Beyond its primary objective of satellite deployment, this deep-sea mission served as a crucial technical stress test. Press releases from the Haiyang aerospace industry development center confirmed that the operation verified the solid-propellant booster configuration's performance under challenging maritime conditions. It also demonstrated the rocket's ability to maintain extended pre-launch readiness while at sea, showcasing China's robust and flexible multi-site sea-launch capability.
Diverse Payloads for Earth Observation and Innovation
The secondary objectives of the launch focused on deploying an array of specialized payloads:
- Dongpo Series (13, 14, 17-20): Six satellites, comprising two optical and four synthetic aperture radar (SAR) units, will expand an existing constellation. These satellites are designed to support remote-sensing applications across Southwest China, aiding in land mapping, disaster response, agriculture, forestry, and water management.
- Xiguang-2 01: Developed by Xiopm SPACE, this advanced AI computing satellite integrates hyperspectral quantitative remote sensing with real-time onboard data processing, significantly reducing the delay in sending raw data to ground stations.
- Tianyi-49: This satellite combines AI and commercial space technologies to provide essential Earth observation data, supporting applications such as mineral exploration, urban planning, and environmental monitoring.
- Lilac-3: Designed for in-orbit demonstrations, this satellite features an ultra-flat platform with integrated structural and thermal controls, alongside next-generation attitude control systems, pushing the boundaries of satellite design.
The successful far-sea launch underscores China's growing capabilities in the commercial space sector, offering operators greater flexibility in choosing launch sites based on specific mission requirements.