China's Lijian-1 Y5 carrier rocket launches, carrying 15 satellites onboard
China successfully launched the Lijian-1 Y5 carrier rocket, which is carrying 15 satellites into orbit.
TroibNews 
On Monday, China successfully launched the Lijian-1 Y5 commercial carrier rocket, which carried 15 satellites.
The rocket lifted off at 12:03 p.m. from a commercial aerospace innovation pilot zone in northwest China, deploying its payload, which included the Jilin-1 Gaofen series, Yunyao-1 series, Xiguang-1 series, and a remote-sensing satellite for Oman, into their designated orbits. This flight was the fifth mission for the Lijian-1 carrier rocket.
Developed by CAS Space, a commercial spaceflight company affiliated with the Institute of Mechanics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Lijian-1 made its debut flight on July 7, 2022, and has successfully launched a total of 57 satellites across its five missions.
Measuring 30 meters in length and weighing 135 tonnes at takeoff, the rocket generates a thrust of 200 tonnes. It is capable of delivering a payload of 1.5 tonnes to a 500-km sun-synchronous orbit or 2 tonnes to a low Earth orbit.
The Y5 variant of the Lijian-1 includes a payload fairing with a diameter of 3.35 meters, designed to accommodate larger satellites. The configuration of the payload fairing is adaptable based on the size and requirements of satellites for future missions.
Among the 15 satellites onboard, the Yunyao-1 series comprises six satellites focused on atmospheric detection and monitoring environmental hot spots.
Additionally, the remote-sensing satellite launched for Oman features artificial intelligence that calculates its load. Its intelligent operating system allows for in-orbit processing and analysis, which can be utilized for detailed land surveys, urban planning, forest assessments, and disaster monitoring.
This launch represents a significant milestone, as it is the first instance of a Chinese commercial space enterprise providing launch services to an international customer. "The Lijian-1 carrier rocket has officially entered the international commercial space market," remarked Shi Xiaoning, the chief designer of the rocket.
Shi also emphasized that the rocket's cost performance and product reliability have garnered recognition in the international market.
James del Carmen for TROIB News
The rocket lifted off at 12:03 p.m. from a commercial aerospace innovation pilot zone in northwest China, deploying its payload, which included the Jilin-1 Gaofen series, Yunyao-1 series, Xiguang-1 series, and a remote-sensing satellite for Oman, into their designated orbits. This flight was the fifth mission for the Lijian-1 carrier rocket.
Developed by CAS Space, a commercial spaceflight company affiliated with the Institute of Mechanics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Lijian-1 made its debut flight on July 7, 2022, and has successfully launched a total of 57 satellites across its five missions.
Measuring 30 meters in length and weighing 135 tonnes at takeoff, the rocket generates a thrust of 200 tonnes. It is capable of delivering a payload of 1.5 tonnes to a 500-km sun-synchronous orbit or 2 tonnes to a low Earth orbit.
The Y5 variant of the Lijian-1 includes a payload fairing with a diameter of 3.35 meters, designed to accommodate larger satellites. The configuration of the payload fairing is adaptable based on the size and requirements of satellites for future missions.
Among the 15 satellites onboard, the Yunyao-1 series comprises six satellites focused on atmospheric detection and monitoring environmental hot spots.
Additionally, the remote-sensing satellite launched for Oman features artificial intelligence that calculates its load. Its intelligent operating system allows for in-orbit processing and analysis, which can be utilized for detailed land surveys, urban planning, forest assessments, and disaster monitoring.
This launch represents a significant milestone, as it is the first instance of a Chinese commercial space enterprise providing launch services to an international customer. "The Lijian-1 carrier rocket has officially entered the international commercial space market," remarked Shi Xiaoning, the chief designer of the rocket.
Shi also emphasized that the rocket's cost performance and product reliability have garnered recognition in the international market.
James del Carmen for TROIB News
