On September 16, 2026, China successfully launched nine satellites from waters off the coast of Shanghai. The launch, executed by the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, took place at 6 a.m. Beijing Time using the Gravity-1 Y3 carrier rocket. Among the satellites were a new group of Qianfan Constellation satellites and an EUHT technology test satellite.
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The mission achieved new records for China's sea launches, with a net payload exceeding three tonnes and an orbital insertion altitude of approximately 800 kilometers. This demonstrated the adaptability of the sea launch model for medium- and large-sized satellite missions, as reported by OrienSpace, the rocket's developer.
The Gravity-1 rocket has successfully completed four sea launches to date. This particular mission marked its first contribution to the networking of a large low-Earth-orbit satellite internet constellation. The satellites were manufactured in Shanghai, and launching from nearby waters facilitates improved efficiency in commercial space manufacturing and operations.