China Carries Out 1st Offshore Rocket Launch

China’s CZ-11 WEY launch vehicle lifting off from an offshore mobile platform. Photo: Business Wire

China successfully launched its first rocket from an offshore launch site. On June 25, China launched the CZ-11 Solid-fuel Space Launch Vehicle (CZ-11 WEY) from a mobile platform on the Yellow Sea, successfully sending seven commercial satellites into a circular orbit of about 600 kilometers. These satellites included Bufeng No.1 A/B Satellite, China125 No. 1 A/B Satellite, Jilin No. 1 High-definition 03A Satellite, Tianqi No. 3 Satellite and Xiaoxiang No. 1 04 Satellite.

Currently, the CZ-11 Space Launch Vehicle has completed seven launches on the land and sea.

According to the release, sea launch is a safe, flexible, and economically efficient option, compared to traditional launch launches. It can not only effectively address the demand for satellites launched at an inclination of 0-19 degrees (which Chinese land launch sites are unable to satisfy), but also provide other launch points in the eastern and southern seas of China.