Galactic Energy


Galactic Energy is a Chinese private space launch enterprise flying the Ceres-1 and developing the Pallas-1 and Ceres-2 orbital rockets. The company's long-term objective is to mine asteroids for rare metals and minerals.

History

Galactic Energy successfully conducted its first launch in November 2020 with a Ceres-1 rocket. Galactic Energy became the second private company in China to put a satellite in orbit successfully and the fourth to attempt an orbital launch.
On 6 December 2021, Galactic Energy launched its second Ceres-1 rocket, becoming the first Chinese private firm to reach orbit twice. In January 2022, the company raised $200 million for reusable launch vehicle development.

Launch vehicles

Ceres-1

Ceres-1 is a four-stage rocket small-lift launch vehicle, the first three stages use solid-propellant rocket motors and the final stage uses a hydrazine propulsion system. It can deliver to low Earth orbit or to 500 km Sun-synchronous orbit. It is about tall and in diameter.
The first launch of Ceres-1 took place at 7 November 2020, successfully placing the Tianqi 11 satellite in orbit. The satellite's mass was about and its purpose was to function as an experimental satellite offering Internet of things communications.
On 5 September 2023 the sea-launched version of the launch vehicle, designated Ceres-1S, made its debut successfully sending to orbit four Tianqi satellites. The launch took place from the DeFu 15002 converted barge off the coast of Haiyang.

Ceres-2

Ceres-2 is an enlarged and improved development of Ceres-1. It is expected to deliver up to 1600 kg to 500 km low Earth orbit and up to 1300 kg to 500 km SSO.
Debut launch on 17 Jan 2026 was not successful.

Pallas-1

The Pallas-1 is a partly reusable two-stage medium-lift orbital launch vehicle currently in development, with its inaugural flight anticipated in 2025. The first stage will have legs and grid fins to allow recovery by vertical landing.
The first stage of Pallas-1 uses seven “CQ-50” liquid oxygen/kerosene engines, with a lift-off mass of 283 tons and a maximum payload capacity to low Earth orbit of 8 tons. Using three Pallas-1 booster cores as its first stage, the rocket will be capable of putting a 17.5-tonne payload into low Earth orbit.

Pallas-2

The Pallas-2 is a next-generation Heavy-lift launch vehicle under development by Galactic Energy, Designed to retain features of the Pallas-1 with a significantly larger payload capacity while keeping reusable VTVL a feature. Based on the company statements Pallas-2 is projected to be more capable of placing 20 tonnes into low earth orbit. additional configuration are in development to support larger mission profiles up to 58 tonnes on the heavy tri core variant. Galactic Energy originally presumed for first flight in 2026. Most recently 2026 is promoted as a development time period for Pallas-2. The companies main focus this year is the CQ-90 a higher thrust Kerosene/liquid-oxygen engine that plans to have a throttle range from 120 to 30 tonnes of force.
Development
The first CQ-90 engine was completed by December 2025 in preparation for testing. On 20 January 2026, the engine was installed on a test stand at Galactic Energy's facility and underwent full-system hot fire test. According to Galactic Energy the engine achieved stable operation with a reported combustion efficiency of approximately 96 percent. The engine is designed to support thrust vector control with a gimbal range of up to six degrees.

Marketplace

Galactic Energy is in competition with several other Chinese space rocket startups, being LandSpace, Deep Blue Aerospace, Space Pioneer, I-Space, ExPace, LinkSpace, and OneSpace.

Launches

Ceres-1 and 1S launches

Ceres-2 launches

Pallas-1 launches