China has achieved another milestone in its commercial space program with the successful offshore launch of the CERES-1 Y7 rocket from waters near Shandong province. The early morning operation, conducted at 4:10 am Beijing Time on Friday, marked a significant advancement in China’s maritime space capabilities.
The Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center orchestrated the complex maritime mission that successfully placed multiple satellites into their predetermined orbit. These satellites form part of the expanding Tianqi constellation, which represents China’s growing ambitions in satellite networking and global connectivity solutions.
This launch demonstrates China’s increasing sophistication in flexible launch operations, utilizing maritime platforms to enhance operational flexibility and potentially reduce costs compared to traditional land-based launches. The CERES rocket series, developed by Chinese private aerospace company Galactic Energy, has established itself as a reliable workhorse for China’s commercial space sector.
The successful mission underscores China’s rapid progress in developing its commercial space industry, which has seen substantial growth and technological innovation in recent years. Maritime launches offer distinct advantages including expanded launch windows, reduced population safety concerns, and the ability to position launches closer to the equator for improved payload efficiency.
This achievement positions China among a select group of nations capable of executing complex offshore space operations, highlighting the country’s maturing aerospace capabilities across both state and commercial sectors.