Galactic Energy launches five satellites into orbit
According to the company's statement, the Ceres-1 rocket launched at 6:11 pm from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, located in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region. The mission placed five remote-sensing satellites into a sun-synchronous orbit approximately 535 kilometers above Earth.
These remote-sensing satellites are specialized in observing and monitoring the physical properties of objects on the land and sea surface. By analyzing reflected and emitted radiation, the satellites will provide critical atmospheric data such as temperature, humidity, and pressure. Additionally, they are equipped to capture hyperspectral images of specific areas on Earth.
The Ceres-1 rocket, powered by solid propellant, stands about 20 meters tall with a diameter of 1.4 meters. Weighing 33 metric tons at liftoff, it can transport a single 300-kilogram satellite or multiple satellites with a combined weight of 300 kilograms to a 500-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit. It is also capable of delivering a payload of 350 kilograms to a low-Earth orbit at an altitude of 200 kilometers.
Monday's mission represents the 16th successful flight for the Ceres-1 rocket, bringing the total number of commercial satellites it has deployed to 63. The rocket for this mission was produced at Galactic Energy's facility in Ziyang, Sichuan province-a milestone as it is the first private carrier rocket manufactured in Sichuan.
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