Galactic Energy

Galactic Energy

Company type	Private
Industry	Aerospace
Founder	Liu Baiqi, Xia Dongkun
Headquarters	China , China
Products	Ceres-1, Pallas-1, Ceres-2 (launch vehicles)

Galactic Energy () is a privately held aerospace firm based in China, currently operating the Ceres-1 launch vehicle and actively developing the Pallas-1 and Ceres-2 orbital rockets. Established by Liu Baiqi and Xia Dongkun, the company’s long-term vision includes extracting rare metals and minerals from asteroids.

History

In November 2020, Galactic Energy achieved its inaugural successful orbital launch with the Ceres-1 rocket, marking it as the second private Chinese entity to deploy a satellite into orbit following i-Space. It was also the fourth private Chinese aerospace company to attempt reaching orbit after LandSpace, OneSpace, and i-Space.

On 6 December 2021, Galactic Energy launched its second Ceres-1 mission successfully, becoming the first private Chinese company to complete two orbital launches. In January 2022, the company raised $200 million in capital to support the development of reusable launch vehicle technology.

Ceres-1

The Ceres-1 () rocket consists of four stages: three solid-fueled stages followed by a hydrazine-propelled upper stage. It measures approximately 20 meters in height with a diameter near 1.4 meters. The vehicle can transport payloads around 350 kilograms to low Earth orbit or approximately 230 kilograms to a 500 km Sun-synchronous orbit (SSO).

Its maiden flight on 7 November 2020 successfully delivered the Tianqi 11 satellite—an experimental Internet of Things (IoT) communications payload weighing about 34 kilograms—into orbit.

On 5 September 2023, the sea-launched version known as Ceres-1S conducted its first mission by deploying four Tianqi satellites from the DeFu 15002 barge off Haiyang’s coast. This milestone broadened the rocket’s operational capabilities for commercial satellite launches.

Ceres-2

Building upon the design of Ceres-1, Ceres-2 is engineered to carry payloads up to 1600 kg to a 500 km low Earth orbit and up to 1300 kg to a 500 km Sun-synchronous orbit. Its debut flight is scheduled for late August 2025, aiming to meet increasing demands in the commercial satellite sector by offering enhanced lift capacity.

Pallas-1

The Pallas-1 () is a medium-lift two-stage orbital launch vehicle currently under development, with its initial flight targeted for the third quarter of 2024. The first stage incorporates landing legs and grid fins designed for vertical recovery, drawing parallels to SpaceX’s Falcon 9 technology.

Equipped with seven “CQ-50” engines powered by liquid oxygen and kerosene, Pallas-1 has a liftoff mass of approximately 283 metric tons and can deliver payloads up to eight tons into low Earth orbit. By employing three Pallas-1 cores as strap-on boosters, it will be capable of lofting payloads up to 17.5 tons to LEO, positioning it competitively within the medium-lift commercial launch market.

Marketplace

Galactic Space faces competition from multiple Chinese private rocket enterprises, such as LandSpace, LinkSpace, ExPace, i-Space, OneSpace, and Deep Blue Aerospace.

Launches

Rocket & Serial	Date	Payload	Orbit	Launch Site	Outcome	Notes
Ceres-1 Y1	7 November 2020, 07:12 UTC	Tianqi-1 (Scorpio-1)	SSO	Jiuquan	Template:Success	Maiden flight of Ceres-1.
Ceres-1 Y2	7 December 2021, 04:12 UTC	Tianjin University-1 Lize-1 Baoyun Golden Bauhinia-5 Golden Bauhinia-1 03	SSO	Jiuquan	Template:Success
Ceres-1 Y3	9 August 2022, 04:11 UTC	Taijing-1 01 Taijing-1 02 Donghai-1	SSO	Jiuquan	Template:Success
Ceres-1 Y4	16 November 2022, 06:19 UTC	Jilin-1 Gaofen-03D 08 Jilin-1 Gaofen-03D 51–54 (4 satellites)	SSO	Jiuquan	Template:Success
Ceres-1 Y5	9 January 2023, 05:04 UTC	Nantong Zhongxue Tianmu-1 01 & 02 Xiamen Keji-1 Tianqi-13	SSO	Jiuquan	Template:Success
Ceres-1 Y6	22 July 2023, 05:07 UTC	Qiankun-1 Xingshidai-16 (Tai'an)	SSO	Jiuquan	Template:Success
Ceres-1 Y7	10 August 2023, 04:03 UTC	Diwei Zhineng Yingji-1 (Henan Ligong-1) Xi'an Hangtou ×4 Xiguang-1 01 Xingchi-1B	SSO	Jiuquan	Template:Success
Ceres-1 Y8	25 August 2023, 04:59 UTC	Jilin-1 Kuanfu-02A (HKUST-Xiongbin-1)	SSO	Jiuquan	Template:Success
Ceres-1S Y1	5 September 2023, 09:34 UTC	Tianqi-21 to Tianqi-24 (4 satellites)	SSO	DeFu 15002 platform, Yellow Sea	Template:Success	First sea-based launch.
Ceres-1 Y11	21 September 2023, 04:59 UTC	Jilin-1 Gaofen-04B	SSO	Jiuquan	Template:Failure	Initial failure following nine successful launches since 2020.
Ceres-1 Y9	4 December 2023, 23:33 UTC	Tianyan-16 Xingchi-1A	SSO	Jiuquan	Template:Success	Resumed successful launches after the setback in September.
Ceres-1S Y2	29 May 2024, 08:12 UTC	Tianqi-25 to Tianqi-28 (4 satellites)	Low Earth orbit (LEO)	Converted barge (Dong Fang Hang Tian Gang), offshore Rizhao, Yellow Sea	Template:Success
Ceres-1 Y12	30 May 2024, 23:39 UTC	Jiguang 01 & 02 Yunyao-1 (14,25,26)	SSO	Jiuquan	Template:Success
Ceres-1 Y13	6 June 2024, 05:00 UTC	TEE-01B Naxing-3A/B	SSO	Jiuquan	Template:Success
Ceres-1S Y3	29 August 2024, 05:22 UTC	Yunyao-1 (15–17) Jitianxing A-03 Suxing 1-01 Tianfu Gaofen 2	SSO	Converted barge, offshore Rizhao, Yellow Sea	Template:Success
Ceres-1S Y4	19 December 2024, 10:18 UTC	Tianqi-33 to Tianqi-36 (4 satellites)	LEO	Converted barge, offshore Rizhao, Yellow Sea	Template:Success
Ceres-1 Y16	20 January 2025, 10:11 UTC	Yunyao-1 (37–40) Jitianxing A-05	SSO	Jiuquan	Template:Success
Ceres-1 Y10	17 March 2025, 08:07 UTC	Yunyao-1 (55–60) AIRSAT-06 & -07	SSO	Jiuquan	Template:Success
Ceres-1 Y17	21 March 2025, 11:07 UTC	Yunyao-1 (43–48)	SSO	Jiuquan	Template:Success
Ceres-1S Y5	19 May 2025, 07:38 UTC	Tianqi (16–18 &20)	LEO	Converted barge, offshore Rizhao, Yellow Sea	Template:Success
Ceres-1	2025	Zengzhang-1	LEO	Jiuquan	Template:Planned	Mission involving a reentry capsule.
Pallas-1 Y1	August 2025	TBA	LEO	TBA	Template:Planned	Inaugural flight of Pallas-1.
Ceres-2	Late August 2025	TBA	TBA	TBA	Template:Planned