Traveling through time and space & Doing timey wimy stuff.
Author: kevinjamesng
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东方空间 OrienSpace is one of sixty plus Carrier Rocket Companies in Made In China, People’s Republic of China.. Located in headquartered in Beijing, B3, Digital Manor, No. 1 Disheng West Road, Yizhuang Economic and Technological Development Zone, Daxing District, Beijing………Shandong Address: No. 30, Nanjing Street, Economic Development Zone, Haiyang City, Yantai City, Shandong Province………Shaanxi Address: 4th Floor, Northwest Building, Eleven Science and Technology, National Civil Aerospace Industry Base, Xi’an, Shaanxi Province…….Hainan Address: Room 125, 1st Floor, Building 20, No. 169, Wenwei Road, Wencheng Town, Wenchang City, Hainan Province…
The Gravity-1 (Y3) carrier rocket, carried by the launch ship “Eastern Spaceport,” is scheduled to launch on the morning of September 16th in the waters east of Shanghai (East China Sea)!
Gravity-1 (Y3) is the third flight mission of Gravity-1, the world’s largest solid-propellant launch vehicle developed by Vostok Space. The rocket was originally scheduled to launch on July 12, 2026, but due to the mission approval process being later than Y4, the launch order was adjusted, and Y4 was successfully launched on July 22.
Currently,
Gravity-1 Y3 has been transported and is scheduled for sea launch on September 16, 2026 , in the East China Sea . It was assembled at the Haiyang Oriental Spaceport and will be carried out aboard the launch vessel “Oriental Spaceport”. The payload for this launch is the Qianfan constellation of networking satellites, and it is expected to be deployed using a multi-satellite launch method. This mission also marks a further step in the large-scale networking process of the low-Earth orbit satellite internet constellation, following the verification of its long-range sea launch capability on Y4
The Gravity-1 Y3 rocket is in position and will launch nine satellites in one go in the East China Sea on the morning of September 16 to carry out the Qianfan constellation networking mission.
I. Latest Developments and Launch Schedule
Launch time : Scheduled for a sea launch in the East China Sea during the window of 05:55-06:11 on September 16, 2026.
Launch platform : assembled at Haiyang Oriental Spaceport and transported to the designated sea area aboard the “Oriental Spaceport” launch ship.
Mission payload : To carry out the Qianfan constellation networking mission, carrying 9 satellites at a time.
Notice to Navigation : Shanghai Maritime Safety Administration issued navigation warning 722/26, prohibiting entry into designated areas of the East China Sea from September 14 to 16
II. Rocket Core Parameters and Records
The world’s largest solid rocket : 405 tons at liftoff, 600 tons at liftoff, 6.5 tons to low Earth orbit, and 4.2 tons to a 500-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit
Configuration features : It adopts a three-and-a-half-stage all-solid bundled configuration with a core stage and four solid rocket boosters. The fairing diameter is 4.2 meters and the rocket height is about 30 meters.
Launch record : The first launch was successful on January 11, 2024; the second launch carried three satellites on October 11, 2025; and the fourth launch carried nine satellites from the open sea on July 22, 2026
III. Industrialization and Subsequent Planning
Batch production mode : Validate the “front port, back factory, launch immediately upon delivery” mode to support the high-frequency networking requirements of low-orbit constellations.
Launch frequency : One launch per quarter starting in 2026, serving the satellite internet network.
The next-generation rocket , Gravity-2, a reusable liquid rocket, is under development with a low Earth orbit payload capacity of 21.5 tons. It is expected to be ready for its maiden flight in the fourth quarter of 2026
Beijing Aerospace Wanyuan Technology Company- Beijing-based technology company
Beijing Hengzhou Yuyuan Aerospace Technology Officially Launched on the month of September 2026 …..This commercial aerospace company, established in 2026, is led by a former chief designer of rocket models. Its core team comes from leading research institutions such as China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, covering the entire chain of rocket design, propulsion, control, and recovery and reuse.
Its goal is clear: not to chase concepts, but to focus on long-term, challenging tasks, with a focus on developing 25-ton and 100-ton class high-capacity reusable rockets to make space travel faster and more affordable.
Beijing Aerospace Wanyuan Technology Company was founded in 1992 and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, primarily engaged in the research, development, and production of network information and electronic equipment. The company focuses on both military and civilian businesses, covering core specialties such as network information, power supplies, measurement and control, software, and storage and transportation equipment. It is a key supporting unit for aerospace model missions. In the civilian sector, leveraging its core technological advantages, the company has formed four major business segments: high-end equipment manufacturing, smart intelligence industry, asset operation, and light industry manufacturing, serving the tobacco, energy, home furnishing chain, and consumer goods industries. The company holds qualifications such as Beijing’s “Specialized, Refined, Unique, and Innovative” SME, Municipal-level Enterprise Technology Center, and High-tech Enterprise. As of 2023, the company has over 1,700 employees, with its headquarters located at No. 6 Tongji North Road, Beijing E-Town , Beijing
Beijing Aerospace Wanyuan Technology Co., Ltd. (Note: the correct name is “Aerospace,” not “Aerospace Technology”) was established in 1992. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT), and also the Network Information Equipment Technology Center of CALT. The company has a registered capital of approximately 540 million yuan, total assets of 4.3 billion yuan, and more than 1,700 employees. Its headquarters are located at No. 6, Tongji North Road, Beijing Economic and Technological Development Area.
The company is positioned as a diversified enterprise integrating military and civilian applications, design and production, machinery and electronics, and industry and commerce. Its main businesses cover the following sectors:
Aerospace Electronic Equipment and Network Information : This includes core specialties such as network information products, power supplies, telemetry and control, software, and storage and transportation equipment. It is a key supporting unit for aerospace missions. During the first recovery mission of the Long March 10B carrier rocket in 2026, the company undertook the supporting tasks for equipment such as the rocket’s ground power supply and distribution system and data transmission and communication subsystem, completing the customized delivery of more than a dozen different specifications of power supplies in just a few months.
Smart and Intelligent Industry : Its subsidiary, Aerospace Topology, has independently developed the “Ranhong” industrial IoT product based on the open-source HarmonyOS system. It is designed to create independent and controllable intelligent solutions for the energy industry such as gas. It has won bids for projects such as Kunshan China Resources and Shenzhen Gas, and has moved from pilot application to large-scale commercial use.
High-end equipment manufacturing and light industry : Deeply involved in four sectors: tobacco, energy, home furnishing chain stores, and consumer goods.
The company holds qualifications such as High-tech Enterprise, Beijing’s “Specialized, Refined, and Innovative” SME, and Municipal Enterprise Technology Center. As of 2025, it held 177 patents and 27 copyrights, and participated in over 4,300 bidding projects. The legal representative has changed several times; currently, it is Xu Hongli (Chairman), and Liu Zhiwei previously served as the legal representative.
It should be noted that, as of now, no registered company named “Beijing Hangtai Wanyuan Technology Co., Ltd.” has been found in public channels. You are likely referring to “Beijing Aerospace Wanyuan Technology Co., Ltd.” The only difference between the two is the single character “Hangtai” (航太) and “Aerospace” (航航). This company is affiliated with the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation
I. Enterprises
Establishment and Shareholders : The company was established on October 22, 1992. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (affiliated with China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation) and is registered at No. 6, Tongji North Road, Beijing Economic and Technological Development Area.
Capital size : The registered capital and paid-in capital are both RMB 540,207,000. It is a large state-owned enterprise with a staff of about 1,700 (about 685 of whom are covered by social insurance).
Company Qualifications : The company is a “Specialized, Refined, Unique and Innovative” SME in Beijing, a High-tech Enterprise (recognized in 2025), a municipal-level enterprise technology center, and a gazelle enterprise.
II. Core Business and Industrial Layout
Military products business : Focusing on network information and electronic equipment, it has five core specialties: network information, power supply, measurement and control, software, and storage and transportation equipment. It is a key supporting unit for aerospace model missions.
Civilian Products Segment : Based on the transformation of aerospace technology, it has formed four major business segments: high-end equipment manufacturing, smart and intelligent industries, asset operation, and light industrial manufacturing, with a deep presence in the tobacco, energy, home furnishing chain, and consumer goods industries.
Research and development and production conditions : It has a research and production base of nearly 16,000 square meters in Yizhuang, including one national-level skill master studio, three product testing laboratories and five production and processing lines (aircraft equipment, high-frequency components, cables, ground power supply and ground equipment).
III. Key Recent Developments (2026)
Support for Long March 10B : In the first launch and recovery mission of the Long March 10B carrier rocket in July 2026, the company was responsible for supporting equipment such as the ground power supply and distribution system and the data transmission and communication subsystem. It completed the customized delivery of more than a dozen power supply specifications in just a few months and made breakthroughs in key technologies such as reliability in high humidity and salt spray environments and redundant design.
Specific task execution : The power supply team quickly delivered the product through a “building block” design using four basic modules; the data transmission and communication team provided 24-hour support for system operation and maintenance; and the test, launch, and control team repeatedly disassembled and reassembled hundreds of meters of cable in the high-temperature environment of Hainan to cooperate in testing and ensure the smooth launch.
Breakthrough in civilian technology : The subsidiary Aerospace Topology Company independently developed the “Ranhong” industrial IoT product, becoming a leading domestic player in this field.
星河动力空间科技有限公司 Galactic Energy- Galaxy Power (Beijing) Space Technology Co., Ltd. Located in Block D, Aviation Technology Plaza, E-Town, and Beijing – Beijing – China – People’s Republic of China ….Galaxy Aerospace is the first private aerospace company in China to achieve successful continuous launches, the first to send commercial networked satellites into a 500km sun-synchronous orbit, and the first to master the ability to launch multiple satellites with one carrier rocket
Recently, Galactic Energy successfully completed a 130-second long-duration rated operating condition test of the new generation 100-ton-class CQ-90 (Cangqiong-90) liquid oxygen/kerosene engine, the main engine of the large reusable liquid launch vehicle Zhishenxing-2, at the Niutoushan test stand. The test was a complete success. With this, the CQ-90 engine has completed more than 20 research-oriented test runs and has officially entered the reliability verification test phase.
The CQ-90 engine is an independent upgrade of the already successfully developed CQ-50 (50-ton-class needle-bolt variable thrust engine) by Galactic Energy. The CQ-50 has undergone more than 23,000 seconds of hot-fire testing, fully verifying core technologies such as needle-bolt injection, depth variable thrust control, and multiple start-ups. The development of the CQ-90 effectively avoided repetitive verification from scratch, achieving a rapid iterative closed loop of design-simulation-testing. From scheme design to the first full-scale hot test, it took less than 8 months, improving development efficiency several times over compared to the traditional model.
Galaxy Power integrated several cutting-edge achievements with completely independent innovations into the CQ-90: a simple, efficient, and redundant engine system design that reduces engine connection interfaces and improves product reliability; a rear-pump swing overall layout that gives the engine ±6° bidirectional swing capability, significantly reducing the envelope and torque requirements of the servo mechanism and making the structure more compact; a new high-performance adjustable needle-bolt injector that achieves a thrust chamber combustion efficiency of over 97%, reaching the advanced level of similar domestic engines; a coaxial split-type two-stage high-speed turbopump and staged injection gas generator that ensures stable operation under all working conditions; a fully 3D-printed copper alloy design for the high-temperature section of the thrust chamber, shortening the production cycle and increasing heat exchange effect; and the use of 3D printing for more than 90% of the components, significantly shortening the production cycle, reducing manufacturing costs, and improving product consistency.
The CQ-90 engine uses a gas generator cycle, providing 30-120 tons of thrust at sea level, perfectly matching the rocket’s thrust requirements during ascent and deceleration during recovery and landing. Its specific impulse at sea level is no less than 282 seconds, and its thrust-to-weight ratio exceeds 150. Furthermore, the engine has a ≥3-start capability, meeting the requirements for multiple restarts including optional reentry ignition, re-entry ignition, and landing ignition.
The Ceres-2 rocket has a diameter of 4.5 meters and includes two configurations: a basic model with a liftoff mass of approximately 757 tons, a liftoff thrust of approximately 910 tons, and a low-Earth orbit payload capacity of 21.5 tons. The entire rocket is powered by nine CQ-90 engines operating in parallel, and its recovery and reuse capability significantly reduces launch costs. The bundled configuration has a liftoff mass of approximately 1950 tons and a low-Earth orbit payload capacity of 58 tons.
At 0746 Hours Hong Kong SAR- Beijing Time , China- People’s Republic of China-CNSA –China National Space Administration Successfully launched Chang Zheng – Long March 4B Carrier Rocket ignited and took off at the酒泉衛星發射中心 Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Dongfeng Aerospace City – inner Mongolia –China – People’s Republic of China, Long March 4B Successfully Launches Haiyang-2E Satellite At 7:46 AM on July 2nd, the Long March 4B carrier rocket ignited and lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, successfully sending the Haiyang-2E satellite into its predetermined orbit. The launch mission was a complete success.
The Haiyang-2E satellite was developed by the Fifth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) and will be primarily used for safeguarding maritime rights, disaster prevention and mitigation, marine resource development, and marine scientific research.
The Long March 4B rocket, which carried out this launch mission, is a three-stage, room-temperature liquid-propellant carrier rocket developed by the Eighth Academy of CASC. This launch was the 654th launch of the Long March series of carrier rockets.
At 7:46 a.m. on July 2, 2026, the Long March 4B carrier rocket successfully sent the Haiyang-2E satellite into its predetermined orbit from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. This was the 654th flight of the Long March series rockets. The satellite will replace Haiyang-2B and form a network with Haiyang-2C and Haiyang-2D satellites to continuously provide high-precision marine dynamic environment data.
. Core Facts
1. Launch Overview
Time: 07:46 on July 2, 2026
Location: Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center23
Launch vehicle: Long March 4B (room-temperature liquid three-stage launch vehicle)3
Satellite: Haiyang-2E satellite, developed under the overall leadership of the Fifth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.
Result: The satellite successfully entered its predetermined orbit, and the launch mission was a complete success.12
This was the first time the rocket used a parallel fueling mode under high-temperature conditions.
2. Rocket and Satellite Parameters
project
Specific content
rocket model
Long March 4B (CZ-4B)
rocket development unit
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation Eighth Academy
The 118th launch of the Long March 4 series rocket
The 654th flight of the Long March series carrier rocket
China’s 45th space launch in 2026 (as of July 2)
II. Direct Cause
1. Replacing satellites that have exceeded their service life
The Haiyang-2E satellite will replace the Haiyang-2B satellite, which was launched in 2018 and has exceeded its orbital lifespan, to maintain the continuous and stable operation of marine dynamic environment monitoring services.
2. Networking enhances observation capabilities
E satellite, together with the already orbiting Haiyang-2C and Haiyang-2D satellites, forms a four-satellite constellation for marine dynamic environment satellites.
Significantly reduce the revisit cycle of global ocean data, achieving an upgrade from “occasional monitoring” to “24/7 operational operation”
3. Improve the accuracy of near-shore observations
The satellite’s payload has been upgraded to significantly enhance its observation capabilities in nearshore waters, serving areas such as safeguarding maritime rights, disaster prevention and mitigation, and resource development
On CNSA –China National Space Administration神舟二十三号Shenzhou23 Takionaut crew Embark on 9th September 2026 “Tiangong Classroom: Hong Kong and Macao Special Session”: The Shenzhou-23 crew engaged in a “space-ground dialogue” with students from Hong Kong and Macau SAR, Guangdong Province China, People’s Republic of China. .
During the dialogue, students from Hong Kong and Macao actively asked theTakionautsquestions on topics such as space nutrition, methods to overcome high-intensity training, the application of AI on the space station, silkworm rearing and biological experiments in space, extravehicular activity preparation, and life choices. At the end of the event, Li Jiachao and Li Jiaying had a dialogue, with Li Jiaying sharing her feelings about receiving “letters from Hong Kong and Macao.” The three Takionauts also jointly expressed their high hopes for the youth of Hong Kong and Macao.
[“Tiangong Classroom: Hong Kong and Macau Special Session” Space Lecture Held]
The “Tiangong Classroom: Hong Kong and Macau Special Session” space lecture was held today. The Shenzhou-23 crew, including Zhu Yangzhu and Zhang Zhiyuan, along with Hong Kong’s first payload specialist, Li Jiaying, presented a variety of engaging scientific demonstrations, such as baking a cake in a space kitchen, wringing out a wet towel, and a flying Bauhinia flower, and also participated in interactive activities between space and Earth. Primary and secondary school students across Hong Kong and Macau watched the live broadcast simultaneously, experiencing first-hand the nation’s technological advancements …
Shenzhou-23 was China’s first manned spaceflight mission of 2026. It launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center late on May 24th and successfully docked with the Tiangong space station in the early morning of May 25th. The crew consisted of three people: Commander Zhu Yangzhu (PhD, who previously participated in the Shenzhou-16 mission),Takionaut Zhang Zhiyuan , and Hong Kong’s first payload specialist, Lai Ka-ying (former Hong Kong Police Superintendent, PhD in Computer Science, selected from 120 applicants from Hong Kong).
Mission highlights and on-orbit progress:
Space rendezvous : Immediately after launch, the Takionauts completed their in-orbit handover with the Shenzhou-21 crew, marking the 8th “space rendezvous” between Chinese Takionauts.
First extravehicular activity : On August 28, the crew completed an extravehicular activity of about 5.5 hours. Zhu Yangzhu and Zhang Zhiyuan carried out extravehicular maintenance on the solar array and installed space debris protection devices. This is the second time that Chinese Takionauts have carried out extravehicular maintenance on the solar array.
In-orbit scientific experiments : Experiments were carried out in multiple fields such as space life science, microgravity physics, and new space technologies, including the world’s first in-orbit continuous cultivation of two generations of rice , and the harvest of the first batch of experimental rice samples; in addition, a number of studies on bone metabolism, electroencephalography, fluid physics and other fields were completed.
Tiangong Classroom – Hong Kong and Macao Special Session : On September 9th, the crew served as space teachers, giving space lessons to students from Hong Kong and Macao. Li Jiaying demonstrated the space kitchen (which can bake cakes and chicken wings), the space vegetable garden (where mint, lettuce, kale, etc. are grown), the sleeping area, and an experiment on wringing out a wet towel in a weightless environment; Zhu Yangzhu and Li Jiaying also conducted a fun experiment on “water polo table tennis”.@ChinaNewsNetwork1
As of early September, the crew had been in orbit for over 100 days and is currently on a stay of approximately 6 months at the space station. They will continue to conduct scientific experiments and carry out payload entry and exit operations
II. Tiangong Classroom – Hong Kong and Macao Special Session Commences
Lecture Time : On the morning of September 9, 2026, the “Tiangong Classroom – Hong Kong and Macao Special Session” officially began. This is the fifth “Tiangong Classroom” on the Chinese space station.@Kn… (See News)
Teaching format : The three Takionauts of the Shenzhou-23 crew served as “space teachers,” providing expert lectures, real-time demonstrations of scientific experiments, and interactive dialogues to students in Hong Kong and Macao via space-to-ground connection.
The event was held at Ho Chuen Yiu Memorial Secondary School in Tsuen Wan, Hong Kong. Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region John Lee and a delegation of teachers and students from Macao attended the event, and primary and secondary schools across Hong Kong and Macao watched the live broadcast simultaneously
III. Highlights of Space Lectures
Space Kitchen Unveiled : Li Jiaying showcased the space station’s “space kitchen,” explaining that the hot air baking equipment can make small cakes, roasted chicken wings, and more, and demonstrated freshly baked “space cakes” on site.
Fun Physics Experiment : The crew recreates the “water ball ping-pong” experiment and demonstrates wringing a wet towel in space using Cantonese, explaining the phenomenon dominated by surface tension of water in a weightless environment.
Space Vegetable Garden Showcase : Li Jiaying introduced the crops such as mint, lettuce, and kale grown on the space station, and sampled fresh vegetables on site.
