Galactic Energy, a Chinese company, successfully launched its Ceres-1 solid-propellant rocket from a ship at sea on May 19, 2025. The launch, coordinated by the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, took place off the east coast of Shandong Province, China. Four Tianqi satellites were deployed into low Earth orbit (LEO).
The Ceres-1 is a four-stage, 66-foot-tall launch vehicle. It utilizes solid rocket engines on its first three stages and a hydrazine liquid engine on the fourth. This launch marks the fifth sea-based liftoff for the Ceres-1 and its 20th flight overall, with only one previous failure.
The four Tianqi satellites join Guodian Gaoke's constellation of Internet of Things (IoT) spacecraft. Guodian Gaoke has now launched a total of 41 Tianqi satellites to LEO, completing its initial constellation plans. The Tianqi network aims to provide global data transmission for internet-connected smart devices, serving both government and private users. Galactic Energy is also developing a liquid-propellant launch vehicle, the Pallas-1, expected to debut later this year.