China Launches 9 Satellites on Gravity-1 Y4 Rocket in Milestone Sea Mission
China successfully launched the Gravity-1 Y4 carrier rocket from a sea platform in the eastern waters of Shanghai on July 22, 2026, sending nine satellites into orbit in what marks a significant milestone for the country’s commercial space sector. The rocket lifted off from the East China Sea under the authority of the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, according to Xinhua News.
A Historic First for Commercial Space
The mission represents the first far-sea launch for the Gravity-1 rocket and, notably, the first private commercial rocket sea launch in the Yangtze River Delta/East China Sea region. Developed by Orienspace (东方空间技术（山东）有限公司), a private aerospace company founded in 2020, the Gravity-1 Y4—also designated the Xinglianhao (星联体号)—is the world’s largest solid-fuel launch vehicle and China’s most powerful commercial rocket.
CCTV News confirmed this was the third flight of the Gravity-1 rocket, following its maiden voyage in January 2024 and a second launch in October 2025, both conducted from the Haiyang Oriental Aerospace Harbor in Shandong Province.
Payload and Satellite Details
The rocket carried a diverse payload of nine satellites and one test payload. The six Dongpo satellites (13, 14, 17, 18, 19, and 20) are part of the “Huantian Constellation” (环天星座) developed by MinoSpace, designed for all-weather, all-day Earth observation using both optical and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technology. The Xiguang Erhao 01 and Tianyi 49 satellites provide AI-powered commercial remote sensing services for mining, agriculture, forestry, environmental monitoring, and urban planning. The Lilac-3 (Zidingxiang-3) satellite serves as a technology testbed for ultra-flat force-thermal integrated platforms and new attitude control systems, while a Neptune test payload evaluates modular designs for flexible solar arrays.
Commercial Maturation and Cost Reduction
According to QQ/Tencent via Dazhong Daily, the orbital insertion mass set a record for China’s private commercial aerospace sector in terms of both weight and value. The report stated that Gravity-1 has “formally entered a stable, commercially viable, scaled operational phase.”
Orienspace co-founder Bu Xiangwei has previously stated that the Gravity-1 rocket reduced per-kilogram launch costs from approximately 100,000 RMB to under 50,000 RMB after its maiden flight. The company aims to further reduce costs through scaled production and regular launches, positioning the rocket as a key asset for deploying large satellite constellations.
Technical Specifications and Sea Launch Innovation
The Gravity-1 rocket stands 30 meters tall with a liftoff mass of 405 tons and thrust of 600 tons. It can deliver 6.5 tons to low Earth orbit or 4.2 tons to a 500-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit. The rocket features the world’s first all-solid strap-on booster configuration and employs a “three vertical” sea launch mode—vertical testing, vertical transfer, and vertical launch.
The mission utilized the “Oriental Aerospace Harbor” launch ship, a 162.5-meter-long, 22,000-ton self-propelled vessel that serves as China’s first professional sea launch platform. The rocket was assembled at the Haiyang Oriental Aerospace Harbor in Shandong, which operates on a “front port, rear factory” model allowing complete assembly, testing, and launch within a 6-kilometer radius.
Broader Implications for China’s Space Ambitions
The launch comes amid a surge of activity in China’s commercial space sector. July 2026 alone has seen multiple successful launches, including the Long March 6A (carrying 18 satellites), the Long March 8A, and the Long March 10B, which achieved China’s first reusable rocket recovery at sea.
Looking ahead, Orienspace is developing the Gravity-2, a reusable liquid rocket with a 21.5-ton low Earth orbit capacity that would compete with SpaceX’s Falcon 9-class capabilities. As China’s commercial space ecosystem matures, the Gravity-1 program demonstrates that solid-rocket sea launch has become a viable and scalable commercial model, with significant implications for satellite constellation deployment, regional economic development, and the competitive landscape of global launch services.