Oman's First Earth Observation Cubesat & China's First Commercial Customer

Oman's First Earth Observation Cubesat & China's First Commercial Customer

Oman Lens OL-1 Earth observation CubeSat in orbit: The country of Oman's first satellite

Oman Lens OL-1 Earth observation CubeSat illustration

China's CAS Space commercial Lijian-1 (Kinetica 1) carrier rocket (solid fuel)

Oman Lens and CAS Space Teams

Beijing-based rocket manufacturer CAS Space, a subsidiary of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), successfully launched their Lijian-1 Y5 commercial carrier rocket with 15 satellites aboard in northwest China on Monday, November 11, 2024, including a remote-sensing satellite for the West Asia country of Oman. This marked the first time a Chinese commercial space company's rocket has launched a satellite for an international client. This was also Oman's first satellite in a landmark commercial launch. Omani space-tech startup Oman Lens LLC produced and arranged the launched of the country's first Earth observation, artificial intelligence (AI)-powered CubeSat. The satellite will assist Oman with data collection and imaging for land mapping, urban planning, forestry monitoring, and disaster management.

Officially the Sultanate of Oman, the country is located on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in West Asia. It overlooks the entrance to the Persian Gulf. It shares land borders with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. 

The Kinetica 1-Y5 rocket lifted off at 12:03pm on November 11, 2024, from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in China's Gobi Desert, placing the satellites into their designated orbit, CAS Space announced.

CAS Space upgraded the Lijian-1 Y5/Kinetica 1's payload fairing—the protective shell housing the satellite payloads—for this mission, expanding its diameter from 2.65 to 3.35 meters to accommodate the 15 satellites. This adaptation marks a milestone for the series. This rocket has now deployed a total of 57 satellites since its debut, maintaining a 100 percent success rate.

Image Credit: Star.Vision

Caption Credit: ChinaDaily/New China TV/CGTN

Release Date: Nov. 13, 2024

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