China Successfully Launches Lijian-1 Y5 Carrier Rocket with 15 Satellites

Beijing, The Gulf Observer: China marked another milestone in its commercial space endeavors with the successful launch of the Lijian-1 Y5 commercial carrier rocket, carrying 15 satellites. The launch occurred at 12:03 p.m. Beijing Time from a commercial aerospace innovation pilot zone in northwest China.

The Lijian-1 Y5 carried a diverse payload, including satellites from the Jilin-1 Gaofen, Yunyao-1, and Xiguang-1 series, as well as a remote-sensing satellite developed for Oman. All satellites were successfully placed into their planned orbits.

Developed by CAS Space, a commercial spaceflight enterprise affiliated with the Institute of Mechanics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Lijian-1 series has now completed five flight missions since its inaugural launch on July 7, 2022, delivering a total of 57 satellites to orbit. Measuring 30 meters in length with a takeoff weight of 135 tonnes and a takeoff thrust of 200 tonnes, the rocket is capable of sending a 1.5-tonne payload to a 500-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit or a 2-tonne payload to low Earth orbit.

The Lijian-1 Y5’s payload fairing, with a diameter of 3.35 meters, offers flexible configurations to accommodate various satellite sizes and mission requirements, enhancing adaptability for future launches.

Among the payloads, the Yunyao-1 series consists of six satellites primarily designed for atmospheric monitoring and environmental hot spot detection. Additionally, the Omani remote-sensing satellite features an AI-powered intelligent operating system capable of in-orbit processing and analysis, intended for applications such as land surveys, urban planning, forestry, and disaster monitoring.

This launch represents the first instance of Chinese commercial space companies providing launch services to international users. Shi Xiaoning, the chief designer of the Lijian-1 rocket, highlighted that the successful delivery underscores the vehicle’s competitive cost performance and product reliability, signaling its entry into the global commercial space market.