In a stellar leap for global connectivity, China's private space firm Galactic Energy has just completed a major milestone by launching the final four satellites of its groundbreaking "Tianqi" IoT constellation.
The launch, which took place from the sea near east China's Shandong Province at 3:38 p.m. Beijing Time, marked the completion of the constellation's first phase. With a total of 37 satellites designed to offer low-cost and low-power IoT data services, "Tianqi" is set to power numerous industries—from agriculture and forestry to emergency response and smart cities, not to mention the exciting world of connected gadgets like smartwatches and even cars!
This mission, the 19th for Galactic Energy, builds on an impressive track record of sending 81 satellites into orbit using both land- and sea-based launches. The CERES-1S rocket, specially engineered for sea launches and making its debut flight in September 2023, features a 1.4-meter diameter and a liftoff weight of about 33 metric tons. It can deliver up to 300 kilograms of payload into a 500-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit, making it a true workhorse of innovation.
With this achievement, global IoT connectivity is taking off—empowering digital transformations and bridging gaps around the world. 🚀✨
Reference(s):
China's CERES-1 commercial rocket launches four satellites from sea
cgtn.com
