China's Smart Dragon-3 Rocket Successfully Launches Satellites from Sea
The innovative sea-based launch marks a significant advancement in China's expanding space capabilities.
In a significant move highlighting China's growing prowess in space technology, the Smart Dragon-3 (SD-3) rocket successfully launched a batch of satellites from a sea-based platform near Haiyang, Shandong Province, on January 13, 2025. This innovative launch, conducted by the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, saw the rocket lift off at 11 a.m. Beijing Time, effectively sending the CentiSpace 01 satellite group into their designated low-inclination orbit.
Developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, the SD-3 rocket measures an impressive 31 meters in length and weighs 140 tonnes.
Liu Wei, the deputy chief designer of the SD-3 rocket, emphasized the strategic advantages of conducting the launch from an offshore location.
Launching from the sea not only enhances safety but also minimizes maritime navigation costs and reduces the technical preparation timeline, thereby improving the economic efficiency of the mission.
This launch marks the first instance of a low-inclination orbit deployment conducted from the offshore waters near Haiyang, demonstrating the SD-3's ability to withstand challenging maritime conditions and strong winter winds.
The rocket successfully transported a payload of 10 CentiSpace 01 satellites, designed for space environment data acquisition and intersatellite laser networking tests, setting a record for its heaviest payload to date with a capacity of 1,600 kg.
The Smart Dragon-3 is part of China's Dragon rocket series, which first took flight in 2022 from a platform in the Yellow Sea.
This series has been tailored to meet the burgeoning demand for launching low-orbit small commercial satellites and satellite networks, offering a more flexible option compared to China's traditional Long March rockets.
As the first sea-based rocket launch of 2025, Monday’s mission underlines China's commitment to advancing its space capabilities.
Since 2019, Haiyang has been the site of 15 sea launch missions, sending a total of 89 satellites into space, reinforcing China's position as a formidable player in the global space arena.
Developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, the SD-3 rocket measures an impressive 31 meters in length and weighs 140 tonnes.
Liu Wei, the deputy chief designer of the SD-3 rocket, emphasized the strategic advantages of conducting the launch from an offshore location.
Launching from the sea not only enhances safety but also minimizes maritime navigation costs and reduces the technical preparation timeline, thereby improving the economic efficiency of the mission.
This launch marks the first instance of a low-inclination orbit deployment conducted from the offshore waters near Haiyang, demonstrating the SD-3's ability to withstand challenging maritime conditions and strong winter winds.
The rocket successfully transported a payload of 10 CentiSpace 01 satellites, designed for space environment data acquisition and intersatellite laser networking tests, setting a record for its heaviest payload to date with a capacity of 1,600 kg.
The Smart Dragon-3 is part of China's Dragon rocket series, which first took flight in 2022 from a platform in the Yellow Sea.
This series has been tailored to meet the burgeoning demand for launching low-orbit small commercial satellites and satellite networks, offering a more flexible option compared to China's traditional Long March rockets.
As the first sea-based rocket launch of 2025, Monday’s mission underlines China's commitment to advancing its space capabilities.
Since 2019, Haiyang has been the site of 15 sea launch missions, sending a total of 89 satellites into space, reinforcing China's position as a formidable player in the global space arena.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
