Ceres-1

Ceres-1

Function	Launch vehicle
Manufacturer	Galactic Energy
Country of origin	China
Cost per launch	US$4.5 million
Size
Height	20 m (66 ft)
Diameter	1.4 m (4 ft 7 in)
Mass	33,000 kg (73,000 lb)
Stages	4
Capacity
Payload to Low Earth orbit
Mass	400 kg (880 lb)
Associated rockets
Comparable	Electron, Pegasus, Kuaizhou1A
Launch history
Status	Active
Launch sites	JSLC, and sea-launch platforms in water
Total launches	14
Success(es)	13
Failure(s)	1
Partial failure(s)	0
First flight	7 November 2020
Last flight	6 June 2024
First stage – GS-1
Powered by	1 Solid
Maximum thrust	588 kilonewtons (132,000 lbf)
Burn time	73.9 seconds
Propellant	Solid
Second stage – GS-2
Powered by	1 Solid
Maximum thrust	274.4 kilonewtons (61,700 lbf)
Burn time	70 seconds
Propellant	Solid
Third stage – GS-3
Powered by	1 Solid
Maximum thrust	86.24 kilonewtons (19,390 lbf)
Burn time	69 seconds
Propellant	Solid
Fourth stage – Advanced liquid upper stage
Maximum thrust	10 kilonewtons (2,200 lbf)
Burn time	600 seconds
[edit on Wikidata]

Ceres-1 (Chinese: 谷神星一号; pinyin: Gushenxing-1), is a four-stage rocket manufactured and operated by Galactic Energy, the first three stages use solid-propellant rocket motors and the final stage uses a hydrazine propulsion system. It is about 20 m (62 ft) tall and 1.4 m (4 ft 7 in) in diameter. It can deliver 400 kg (880 lb) to low Earth orbit or 300 kg (660 lb) to 500 km Sun-synchronous orbit.^[1]

The first launch of a Ceres-1 took place at 7 November 2020, successfully placing the Tianqi 11 (also transcribed Tiange, also known as TQ 11, and Scorpio 1, COSPAR 2020-080A) satellite in orbit.^[2] The satellite's mass was about 50 kg (110 lb) and its purpose was to function as an experimental satellite offering Internet of things (IoT) communications.^[3]

On 5 September 2023, the sea-launched version of the launch vehicle, designated Ceres-1S, made its debut successfully sending to orbit four Tianqi satellites. The launch took place from the DeFu 15002 converted barge (previously used also for launching the Long March 11 launch vehicle) off the coast of Haiyang.^[4]