Gravity-1

Gravity-1 (Chinese: 引力一号 or YinLi-1) is a solid-propellant expendable medium-lift launch vehicle designed, manufactured and launched by Chinese aerospace company Orienspace. It can carry a payload of up to 6.5 tonnes (14,000 lb) to LEO or 4.2 tonnes (9,300 lb) to SSO, enabling the deployment of large-scale satellite constellations. The rocket has a height of 30 meters, a take-off weight of 400 tonnes, a take-off thrust of 600 tonnes,^[2] and a fairing diameter of 4.2 meters.^[3] Its maiden launch was conducted from a sea launch platform in the Yellow Sea on January 11, 2024, breaking records as both the world's most powerful solid-fuel carrier rocket and China's most powerful commercial launch vehicle to date.^[4] Large pieces of debris were seen during the launch, which carried 3 Yunyao-1 meteorological satellites built by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, as part of the planned 90-satellite Yunyao constellation.^[4][3]

Functionexpendable medium-lift launch vehicle

ManufacturerOrienspace

Country of origin China

Height29.4 metres (96 ft)

Quick facts Function, Manufacturer ...

Gravity-1
引力一号

Gravity-1 mission 1 launch 11 January 2024
Function	expendable medium-lift launch vehicle
Manufacturer	Orienspace
Country of origin	China
Size
Height	29.4 metres (96 ft)
Diameter	2.65 metres (8.7 ft)
Mass	405 tonnes (893,000 lb)[1]
Stages	3
Capacity
Payload to SSO (500km)
Mass	4,200 kg (9,300 lb)[1]
Payload to LEO (200km)
Mass	6,500 kg (14,300 lb)[1]
Launch history
Status	Active
Launch sites	China Dongfang Spacecraft Launch Port
Total launches	2
Success(es)	2
Failure	0
First flight	11 January 2024
[edit on Wikidata]

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Gravity-1 consists of seven solid rocket motors (SRB) in total. The first four side-mounted SRBs are ignited on the ground, while three core boosters are air-lit in sequence. The launch cost for Gravity-1 is around US$39 million. Gravity-1 has a quick-response-time of only five hours between manufacturing completion and launch. Orienspace has signed contracts for the launch of more than one hundred satellites.^[5] Gravity-1 is the most powerful rocket consisting of entirely solid-rocket motors.^[6] Due to the huge solid rocket motors, large plumes of smoke were produced during the launch.