Chinese state news agency Xinhua has reported that a commercial carrier rocket was launched into space from a ship in the East China Sea off Shanghai on Wednesday, July 22.
The Yinli-1 rocket was launched at 10:54 local time on Wednesday. The rocket later deployed nine satellites into orbit.
Xinhua said the flight is the first open-sea launch for the Yinli-1 rocket as well as China's first commercial sea-based in the East China Sea off the Yangtze River Delta.
Developed by Chinese commercial aerospace company OrienSpace, the medium-lift Yinli-1 has a low-Earth-orbit payload capacity of 6.5 tonnes and is capable of delivering a 4.2-tonne payload to a 500-kilometre sun-synchronous orbit, catering to various multi-satellite deployment missions.
The launch was also monitored by Philippine authorities after debris from the rocket was expected to fall within an identified drop zone within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.
"Unburned debris from rockets, such as the booster and fairing, are designed to be discarded as the rocket enters outer space," the Philippine Space Agency (PSA) said in a statement on Wednesday. "Falling debris poses danger and potential risk to ships, aircraft, fishing boats, and other vessels that will pass through the drop zone.
The PSA added that there is also a possibility for the debris to float around the area and wash towards nearby coasts.