At 07:33 on December 5, 2023, Beijing time, Galactic Energy successfully launched the Ceres 1 (Y-9) launch vehicle (mission code: WE WON'T STOP) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, and successfully sent two satellites, Tianyan 16 and Star Pool 1A, into the 500km dawn-dusk orbit, which is the first time for a domestic private rocket company to successfully carry out a morning and evening orbit launch mission, and is also the tenth successful launch of the commercial launch vehicle of Ceres 1 series. This is the first time for a domestic private rocket company to successfully implement a morning and evening orbit launch mission, and also the tenth successful launch of the Ceres 1 series of commercial launch vehicles. Up to now, Galactic Energy has served 16 commercial satellite customers and successfully launched 35 commercial satellites of different types.
The development unit of Tianyan 16, a meteorological environment detection satellite, carries a microwave radiometer and a laser communication payload, which is mainly used to carry out microwave radiometer multi-mode uninterrupted remote sensing detection and laser communication.
Star Pool 1A is another instant wide-area integrated sensing satellite independently developed by Elliptical Time and Space Science and Technology Ltd. The satellite is located in the dawn-dusk orbit, featuring responsive and agile imaging, on-orbit intelligent processing, and satellite-carrying on-orbit mutual calibration. It is reported that the "Star Pool Program" launched by Elliptical Space is a comprehensive perception satellite constellation consisting of more than 100 intelligent satellites, and the overall construction is expected to be completed in 2027. After the completion of the constellation, it can provide standardized data products and application services for electric power and oil infrastructure intelligent inspection, futures big data, double carbon, emergency disaster reduction, ecological environment monitoring and other fields.
In terms of the combination of social responsibility, the launch of the Galactic Energy jointly with Beijing New-Space Culture Communication Co. This activity aims to let children and young people, based on their understanding of space and space, use their brushes to present their infinite reveries and beautiful visions of the vastness of space on the drawing paper, in order to better promote "young art lovers" to realize the diversified knowledge expansion of science and technology and art, and to inspire the majority of children and young people to dream of space and understand space. More than 2,000 works collected in this activity were exhibited in Beijing Today Art Museum's Makoyun Space from November 24 to 26, and 20 of the outstanding youth paintings were incorporated into an electronic chip, which went into the vastness of space with the upper stage of the Vulcan I launch vehicle.
Thanks to Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Ziyang Branch, Jiangtai Insurance Brokerage Co., Ltd. for providing insurance brokerage services and related sponsorship support for the launch mission, and to Jingduoyun for providing celebratory wine for the Ceres I (Y-9) launch mission.
With the spirit of perseverance and indomitable will, Galactic Energy Aerospace quickly overcame the impact of the loss and returned to the fast lane of launch fulfillment and delivery, demonstrating the fast and stable guarantee and fulfillment capability of the commercial space industry chain, as well as the industrial resilience in the face of the stressful process. In the process of future development, Galactic Energy will continue to uphold the concepts of strict prudence, meticulousness, excellence and customer first, further strengthen the construction of high-density launch capability, and contribute its modest strength to the development of China's commercial space industry.
- Trivia -
Dawn-dusk orbits are special sun-synchronous orbits in which satellites cross the equator at about 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. terrestrial time, which coincides with local sunrise and sunset, respectively. The orbital plane is always approximately coincident with the Earth's morning and evening lines, and satellites are exposed to almost perpetual sunlight for an ample and continuous supply of energy.