China Launches Gravity-1 Y4 Rocket. Places Nine Satellites into Orbit

China successfully carried out a sea-based rocket launch on 22 July 2026, sending the commercial Gravity-1 rocket into space from waters roughly 170 kilometres off the coast of Shanghai in the East China Sea. Liftoff took place at 10:54 a.m. Beijing time from a mobile launch vessel, with all nine satellites onboard reaching their intended orbits. The mission was carried out by the Chinese commercial space firm Orienspace, with launch operations coordinated through the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. This marked Gravity-1's third flight overall and its first long-distance open-sea launch, moving well beyond the near-coastal waters used in its earlier two missions. Chinese officials described the mission as another step forward in building out the country's coordinated sea-launch network and sharpening operational flexibility for commercial missions ahead.

Who Developed the Gravity-1 Y4 Rocket?

Gravity-1 was built by Orienspace, a private aerospace company based in China's Shandong province. The rocket has now completed three flights, all launched from sea-based platforms, with its debut mission taking place in January 2024 and its second in October 2025. This latest flight extended the company's track record of successful launches and gave its team further operational experience in managing offshore deployments.

What are the Nine Satellites Included In Gravity-1 Y4 Rocket?

The payload included six Dongpo satellites, Dongpo-13, Dongpo-14, Dongpo-17 to Dongpo-20, Xiguang-2 01, Tianyi-49, and Lilac-3.

Among these, two carry optical sensors fitted with AI-based systems for onboard target recognition and faster image processing, while four are synthetic aperture radar satellites designed to operate together in formation. The remaining satellites were meant for purposes spanning all-weather Earth observation, commercial applications, and technology testing, alongside one additional experimental payload flown on the mission.

Features of the Gravity-1 Y4 Rocket

1.  Stands about 30 metres tall with a launch weight of around 405 tonnes
2. Built as the world's first medium-lift launch vehicle to use all-solid-propellant strap-on boosters, giving it an unusually compact, wide build compared to most modern rockets
3. Made up of three central stages and four strap-on boosters, all running on solid fuel
4. Can carry up to 6.5 tonnes of payload to low-Earth orbit
5. Capable of delivering 4.2 tonnes to a sun-synchronous orbit at 500 km altitude
6. Payload fairing measures 4.2 metres in diameter and about 9 metres in height
7. Sea-based launches let planners pick flight paths away from populated areas, cutting airspace restrictions and opening up more orbital inclination options.