China's Offshore Commercial Rocket Launch: Countdown at Sea
A new China Global Television Network (CGTN) documentary, Countdown at Sea, tells the story of a commercial rocket launch team in China facing a high-stakes race against an approaching typhoon as they prepare for an offshore mission.
"Operating at an offshore site about 170 kilometers east of Shanghai, engineers face a critical window where both mission success and future funding hang in the balance. As the 24-hour countdown begins, the team removes the final storm shielding from the rocket and conducts meticulous pre-launch safety checks before initiating a phased evacuation 90 minutes prior to liftoff."
"In the final moments leading up to the launch, the engineers remain remarkably calm despite mounting tension. For these space pioneers, the mission sometimes demands personal sacrifice, with team members missing major family milestones while stationed at sea, motivated by the strong support of their families and an unwavering passion for their work."
The mission was carried out by the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. The rocket carried a new group of Qianfan Constellation satellites and an EUHT technology test satellite. It was the fourth flight of the Gravity-1 rocket.
Gravity-1 is a solid-fuel rocket developed by a Chinese commercial aerospace company, OrienSpace, with a maximum payload capacity of 6.5 tons. This launch was the second time Gravity-1 conducted a far-sea maneuver and launch, following the first on July 22, when the Gravity-1 Y4 rocket lifted off from the same area and sent nine satellites into the planned orbits.
It once again fully tested the rocket's adaptability to high temperature, high humidity and high salt fog at sea, further verifying its reliability, according to experts.
Duration: 4 minutes, 45 seconds
Release Date: Oct. 20, 2026
No comments:
Post a Comment