Gravity-1

Gravity-1 (Chinese: 引力一号 or YinLi-1) is a solid-propellant expendable medium-lift launch vehicle designed, manufactured, and operated by the Chinese commercial aerospace company Orienspace. Capable of deploying large-scale satellite constellations, the rocket can transport payloads of up to 6.5 tonnes to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) or 4.2 tonnes to Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO).

Vehicle Design and Specifications

Gravity-1 stands approximately 30 meters tall with a fairing diameter of 4.2 meters. At lift-off, the vehicle weighs 400 tonnes and generates 600 tonnes of thrust. The launch vehicle consists entirely of solid-rocket motors, housing a total of seven solid-propellant motors. The initial thrust is provided by four side-mounted solid rocket boosters (SRBs) ignited on the ground, followed by the sequential air-ignition of three core boosters.

Operational History

The maiden flight of Gravity-1 took place on January 11, 2024, launched from a specialized sea-launch platform in the Yellow Sea. This flight successfully deployed three Yunyao-1 meteorological satellites built by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology as part of an expanding 90-satellite constellation. The mission set multiple records, establishing Gravity-1 as both the world's most powerful solid-fuel carrier rocket and China's most powerful commercial launch vehicle to date.

Advantages and Applications

Utilizing solid propellants allows Gravity-1 to achieve a remarkably rapid turnaround time, requiring only five hours between completing manufacturing operations and final launch execution. This quick response capability makes the vehicle well-suited for responsive space missions and commercial constellation deployment. Orienspace has secured launch contracts for over one hundred satellites following the rocket's successful introduction.