The Gravity-1 rocket blasted off from a ship off the coast of eastern Shandong province and delivered three remote-sensing satellites into orbit, Orienspace said in a statement.

Founded in 2020 by veterans of China’s state space agencies, Orienspace had planned the first launch of Gravity-1 for the second half of 2023.

The rocket can send a payload of up to 6,500kg into low earth orbit, making it the most powerful launch vehicle developed by a private Chinese enterprise.

Gravity-1’s debut may help pave the way for more commercial launches of satellites into low and mid-altitude orbits in the nascent private sector. Orienspace’s chief executive officer said last year that the company had already secured orders for the launches of hundreds of satellites.

Gravity-1 can place as many as 30 satellites into orbit in a single launch, according to Orienspace. The company also says it can organises a launch in under seven days and in some cases, just 24 hours.

Gravity-1’s ability to be launched from a mobile sea platform increases the number of potential launch sites. China launched its first commercial rocket at sea – a Long March 11 developed by the state – in 2020.

Sea launches would reduce the risk of rocket stages endangering inhabited areas as they fall back to Earth.

Gravity-1’s inaugural flight made Orienspace the fifth private Chinese firm to operate its own carrier rocket, following i-Space, Galactic Energy, Space Pioneer, and LandSpace, according to Chinese state media.