China launches commercial Gravity-1 rocket from sea

HAIYANG, Shandong, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- China on Thursday sent a sea-launched Gravity-1 (YL-1) carrier rocket into space, sending three satellites into the planned orbit. The Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center launched the commercial rocket from waters off the coast of Haiyang, east China's Shandong Province, at 1:30 p.m. (Beijing Time). It was the first flight mission of the YL-1 commercial carrier rocket.

China launches commercial Gravity-1 rocket from sea-Xinhua (news.cn)

"Gravity-1 (YL-1) " has expanded China's capabilities in the diversified and scaled launch of medium-to-low Earth orbit satellites. In addition to miHoYo, prominent investors such as Sequoia Capital, Sinovation Ventures, and Lenovo Star (an early-stage investment institution of Lenovo Holdings) have participated in the investment in this private company. With the continuous breakthroughs in private rockets' launch capacity and launch technology, China's satellite internet industry is set to enter the fast lane of development.

This is the inaugural flight of the Gravity-1 (YL-1) rocket, which adopted the challenging sea launch method, setting multiple records such as the world's largest solid-fueled carrier rocket, China's largest commercial carrier rocket, and China's first bundled commercial rocket. This milestone signifies significant progress in China's independent innovation in commercial carrier rockets and further enriches the spectrum of China's carrier rockets.

Gravity-1 (YL-1) is a fully solid-fueled, three-and-a-half-stage rocket. As a fully solid-fueled carrier rocket, Gravity-1 (YL-1) can use a "semi-integrated storage" method to build up launch capability reserves, allowing rapid emergency launches within 24 hours. Under normal circumstances, a single launch ship can guarantee a "once a week" launch task. By configuring multiple launch ships, higher launch frequencies can be achieved. The bundled configuration of Gravity-1 (YL-1) allows it to achieve the carrying capacity of a medium-sized rocket while maintaining the height of a small-sized rocket, making it suitable for sea launches.

Gravity-1 (YL-1) 's carrying capacity falls within the mainstream range of launch capacity requirements for medium-to-low Earth orbit satellite constellation networks. It can support the deployment of "30 satellites with one rocket" for hundred-kilogram-class satellites, facilitating efficient progress in constellation network construction. It is also capable of launching small cargo spacecraft weighing three to four tons and large-scale satellites.

In addition to its large carrying capacity, Gravity-1 (YL-1) also boasts a spacious cargo compartment. The rocket is equipped with a 4.2-meter diameter and 9.3-meter high fairing, which is equivalent to the fairing used for space station transportation by China's Long March 7 cargo spacecraft. It is currently the largest fairing in China's commercial space industry and can accommodate a greater number and larger volume of satellites.

Notably, as a medium-sized carrier rocket with a capacity of 6.5 tons, Gravity-1 (YL-1) achieves economies of scale, reducing unit launch costs by over 50% compared to small-sized rockets.Gravity-1 (YL-1) was independently developed by Oriental Space (Shandong) Technology Co., Ltd. (referred to as "Oriental Space"). According to Tianyancha data, Oriental Space was established in 2020. Ningbo Xinghejia Enterprise Management Partnership (Limited Partnership) holds 52.5038% of the shares of Oriental Space, making it the largest shareholder of the company. Shanghai miHoYo Argo Technology Co., Ltd. (referred to as "miHoYo Argo") holds 1.8293% of the shares of Oriental Space. MiHoYo Argo is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Shanghai miHoYo Network Technology. The company has already completed four rounds of financing, raising a total of over 1.1 billion yuan. In addition to miHoYo, investors such as Sequoia Capital, Sinovation Ventures, and Lenovo Star have participated in the investment.

Furthermore, the rocket company has strong commercial characteristics. Gravity-1 (YL-1) is sponsored by the clothing brand HLA, as seen in the live video broadcast from the launch site. The main body of the rocket is predominantly white, with a prominent "HLA" logo painted on the arrowhead and the four boosters.

Key Features:

- The Gravity-1 (YL-1) carrier rocket, developed by Oriental Space, has set multiple records in the global space industry.

- It is the world's largest solid-fueled carrier rocket in terms of liftoff thrust.

- The bundled configuration of the rocket, with a three-and-a-half-stage fully solid-fueled design, is a first in the world.

- The rocket has a height of approximately 30 meters and a fairing diameter of 4.2 meters.

- It has a liftoff weight of 405 tons and a liftoff thrust of 600 tons.

- The payload capacity is 6.5 tons to low Earth orbit and 4.2 tons to a 500-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit.

- The Gravity-1 (YL-1) rocket features seven high-thrust solid rocket motors provided by the Fourth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.

- It adopts a flexible and maneuverable vertical transportation mode suitable for both land and sea launches.

- The modular and bundled design allows for a lower center of gravity and better adaptability to sea-based launches.

- The rocket's engines utilize carbon fiber structures, medium-energy propellants, and vectored nozzle technology.

- The maiden flight of the Gravity-1 (YL-1) rocket marked a significant milestone in China's independent innovation and enriched the country's carrier rocket spectrum.

- It further enhanced China's capabilities in the diversified and scaled launch of medium-to-low Earth orbit satellites.

Private companies are a significant force in China's space industry. According to data from Shanxi Securities, in 2023, private rockets in China were launched 13 times, with 12 successful launches, setting a new record in China's commercial space development over the past eight years. China's commercial space industry is entering a period of rapid development. With the significant improvement in China's commercial space launch capacity and the continuous iteration of private space companies, let's review the progress of domestic private commercial rocket launches in 2023:

- On April 2, 2023, Tianbing Technology successfully deployed the Tianlong-2 Y1 carrier rocket, breaking the "curse" of the first launch failure of liquid rockets worldwide.

- On June 7, 2023, Zhongke Aerospace's Li Jianyi No. 1 Y2 carrier rocket successfully launched "26 satellites with one rocket".

- On December 9, 2023, LandSpace's Zhuque-2 Y3 carrier rocket became the world's first liquid oxygen-methane rocket to successfully deliver payloads to the designated orbit.

- On December 10, 2023, Interstellar Glory's reusable liquid oxygen-methane rocket, Hyperbolic Curve-2, achieved its second successful flight test, marking China's first reusable rocket's successful reusable flight.

Huatai Securities stated that with the continuous breakthroughs in private rockets' launch capacity and launch technology, China's satellite internet industry will enter the fast lane of development. Yongxing Securities expressed that with strong policy support for commercial space, relevant companies are continuously conducting tests and making technological advancements, laying a solid foundation for constellation construction and satellite internet development. The industrialization of the commercial space sector is expected to accelerate further. It is recommended to pay attention to suppliers of rocket components and materials, such as SRI New Materials (rocket engine thrust chamber), Parker New Material (aerospace forgings), Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (inertial control products, measurement and control equipment), Chaojet (holding company Chengdu Xinyue participating in aerospace rocket projects), and JiuFeng Energy (special gases for aerospace).

民营火箭再突破 “引力一号”刷新多个纪录_发射_航天_商业 (sohu.com)