What Galactic Energy Aerospace Technology does

Galactic Energy Aerospace Technology (星河动力航天) is a privately held Chinese commercial launch services provider founded in 2018 and headquartered in Beijing E-Town. The company designs, manufactures, and operates small and medium launch vehicles, targeting commercial satellite operators, constellation developers, government programs, and defense/aerospace testing customers. Its product portfolio spans the Ceres solid-propellant series (Ceres-1 operational with 300 kg SSO / 420 kg LEO capacity; Ceres-2 in final assembly targeting 1.6 t LEO) and the Pallas liquid-propellant reusable series (Pallas-1 nearing maiden flight with 7 t LEO capacity and design reuse count of 25; Pallas-2 under development targeting up to 58 t LEO). Supporting components include the proprietary CQ-50 and CQ-90 reusable LOX/kerosene engines (built largely via 3D printing), the Edge Series attitude and orbital control system, and the EROS in-orbit service platform derived from rocket upper stages.

The company operates a direct B2B sales model selling dedicated and shared launch capacity through both land-based launches (Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center) and sea-based launches (Taiyuan's maritime team, waters off Shandong), a dual-mode capability no other Chinese private rocket company has matched. By January 2026 it had achieved 21 consecutive successful launches and deployed 89 satellites for 27 customers including Tianqi Constellation, Yunyao Aerospace, Changguang Satellite Technology, Spacety, Geovis, and others, with signed backlog extending through end-2026. Vertically integrated production spans a Beijing liquid rocket and engine facility, a Ziyang (Sichuan) solid-vehicle production base, a planned Hangzhou recovery and reuse base, and a network of more than 400 qualified upstream suppliers. Revenue is generated from per-mission launch fees, engine and component hardware sales, and EROS payload-hosting services. The company has cumulatively raised over $500 million across six disclosed rounds, anchored by a $336 million Series D in September 2025 — the largest disclosed funding round ever for a Chinese launch startup — and has been recognized on the Hurun Global Unicorn Index 2024 and Forbes China unicorn lists.

Name

Galactic Energy Aerospace Technology

Legal name

星河动力航天公司 (Galactic Energy Aerospace Company)

Website

https://galactic-energy.cn

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Galactic Energy Aerospace Technology is a Chinese private aerospace company founded in 2018 that designs, manufactures, and operates commercial launch vehicles (Ceres solid and Pallas reusable liquid series) for satellite operators, constellation developers, government programs, and aerospace testing customers across land- and sea-based platforms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Space Launch Services

NAICS

Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing (336414), Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Propulsion Unit and Propulsion Unit Parts Manufacturing (336415), Other Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336419)

SIC

Guided Missiles & Space Vehicles & Parts (3760)

akta.pro primary industry

Launch Vehicles & Orbital Rockets (IMABACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Rocket Engines (Liquid) (IMABADAE), Space Logistics & In-Orbit Servicing (Refueling, Tug, Debris Removal) (IMABACAM), Spacecraft Avionics, Flight Computers & Software (IMABACAI)

Keywords

• Commercial launch services
• Reusable launch vehicles
• Small satellite launches
• Liquid rocket engines
• Orbital service platforms

Headquarters

HQ city

Beijing

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Commercial Launch Services: Galactic Energy provides dedicated and shared launch services for commercial satellites using its CERES and PALLAS rocket series. Revenue is generated per launch mission, with contracts for constellation deployments and individual satellite launches. The company has accumulated significant signed order backlog through 2026, serving remote sensing, communications, and experimental satellite customers.
2. Rocket and Engine Product Sales: The company sells rocket vehicles and liquid rocket engines (CQ series) to customers, providing both launch vehicles and propulsion systems. Manufacturing capabilities include a liquid rocket and engine production base in Beijing, solid rocket assembly production base, with engines and components supplied to both internal rocket programs and external customers.
3. In-Orbit Services: EROS orbital service platform provides low-cost in-orbit testing and verification services for new technologies, components, and products. Revenue generated from payload hosting fees and orbital service contracts using the Eros platform's long-term orbital capabilities.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Galactic Energy manufactures and operates a portfolio of commercial launch vehicles — including the Ceres (谷神星) small solid series, the Pallas (智神星) medium/large reusable liquid series, and the EROS orbital service platform — and sells dedicated and shared launch services from both land and sea platforms. The company also designs and produces proprietary liquid oxygen/kerosene engines (CQ-50, CQ-90) and attitude/orbital control propulsion systems, serving commercial satellite operators, constellation developers, and government space programs.

Product overview

Galactic Energy Aerospace Technology is a private aerospace company offering a portfolio of launch vehicles and rocket components. The product lineup includes the Ceres (solid) series—Ceres-1 and Ceres-2—for small-to-medium satellite launches, and the Pallas (liquid) series—Pallas-1 and Pallas-2—for medium to large reusable launch vehicles targeting constellation deployment. The Eros upper-stage platform provides on-orbit testing services. Supporting the liquid vehicles are the CQ-50 and CQ-90 liquid oxygen/kerosene engines, alongside the Edge Series attitude and orbital control systems. The company serves commercial satellite customers with launch services ranging from 300kg to 58-ton payload capacities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ceres-1 (谷神星一号) Solid Launch Vehicle Four-stage small solid launch vehicle with a liquid upper stage, 1.4m/1.6m diameter, 32.7t lift-off mass, and payload capacity of 300 kg to SSO or 420 kg to LEO. Designed for small satellite constellation deployment and replenishment, supporting both land and sea launch.
• Ceres-2 (谷神星二号) Solid Launch Vehicle Upgraded 100-ton class four-stage commercial launch vehicle with three solid stages and a liquid upper stage. Diameter 2.35m/2.9m, 1.6t LEO payload capacity, supporting both land and sea launch platforms.
• Pallas-1 (智神星一号) Reusable Liquid Launch Vehicle Two-stage medium reusable liquid launch vehicle with optional EROS upper stage. Features 283t lift-off mass, 7t LEO capacity, 4.2m fairing diameter, seven CQ-50 engines in parallel on first stage, and vertical recovery design targeting 25 reuse cycles.
• Pallas-2 (智神星二号) Large Reusable Liquid Launch Vehicle Large reusable liquid launch vehicle in CBC bundled configuration with 5.2m fairing, 757t/1950t lift-off mass, and 20t/58t LEO payload capacity. Both boosters and core stage capable of vertical recovery with approximately 25 flight reuse design.
• EROS-1 (爱神星) Orbital Service Platform On-orbit service platform reusing the rocket upper stage's electrical, structural, and attitude/orbital control systems. Provides low-cost in-orbit testing and verification with 2 kbps uplink, 8 kbps downlink, 2–375 Mbps data transmission, and attitude control accuracy better than 0.2°.
• CQ-50 Liquid Oxygen/Kerosene Engine 50-ton thrust open-cycle reusable LOX/kerosene engine with pintle injector, coaxial split dual high-speed turbopump, deep throttle modulation (32%–105%), multiple restart capability, and >265s sea-level specific impulse. Over 80% of components produced via 3D printing.
• CQ-90 Reusable Liquid Oxygen/Kerosene Engine 100-ton thrust reusable LOX/kerosene engine with 990 kN sea-level thrust (282s Isp), 1160 kN vacuum thrust (330s Isp), post-pump two-axis gimbal, and copper alloy 3D printing for high-precision flow regulation.
• Edge Series Attitude and Orbital Control Propulsion System Orbit attitude control propulsion system offering 25N, 200N, 700N, and 2000N thrust variants with thrust range 0.2–10 kN customizable, specific impulse 290–310s, fatigue life >1000 cycles, and >93% characteristic velocity efficiency. Used for launch vehicles, satellites, and spacecraft attitude adjustment and orbit keeping.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% mission success rate across 21 consecutive commercial launches, deploying 89 satellites total
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Beihang University (北京航空航天大学)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGalactic Energy established the 'Beijing Key Laboratory of Reusable Aerospace Vehicle System Design' jointly with Beihang University and other units, conducting joint research on key reusable launch vehicle technologies including aerodynamic design and prediction methods for rocket recovery.
• China Aerospace Aerodynamics Research InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConducted aerodynamic prediction technology research and wind tunnel testing for Pallas-1 reusable rocket reverse jet characteristics, in conjunction with the Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission and Zhongguancun Management Committee.
• Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission / Zhongguancun Management CommitteecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJointly established the 'Beijing Special Natural Science Fund for Commercial Aerospace' to support research and development of commercial launch vehicle technology. The company has undertaken various national and provincial key research projects and development plans.
• China Jiuquan Satellite Launch CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaunch service provider for CERES series rockets from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, enabling land-based launch operations. The launch center provides operational support for pre-launch testing, mission execution, and range safety services.
• China Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center (Sea Launch Team)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaunch service provider for CERES sea-launched variant from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center's maritime launch team, coordinating sea-based launch operations off Shandong Province.
• Over 400 Upstream SupplierscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBy 2024, Galactic Energy had developed over 400 qualified upstream suppliers across the supply chain, significantly enhancing production capacity and ensuring smooth progress of rocket and engine development projects. The company maintains close research cooperation with more than 30 universities, research institutions, and leading industry enterprises, producing over 50 research cooperation achievements.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• LandSpace (蓝箭航天): Chinese private launch company developing Zhuque-1/2/3 rockets including the methane-fueled Zhuque-2 (first methalox orbital launch) and reusable Zhuque-3. Directly competes with Galactic Energy's Pallas series in China's medium-lift private launch segment, sharing the same target customer base of constellation operators.
• Space Pioneer (星际荣耀): Chinese private launch startup with Tianlong-1 (small-lift, kerosene/LOX) and Tianlong-3 (reusable medium-lift with 21t LEO capacity) rockets. Closely comparable to Galactic Energy across solid and liquid product mix and constellation-focused customer base, including dual solid/liquid reusable product portfolio.
• CAS Space (中科宇航): Chinese launch company with Kinetica-1/Lijian-1 (solid small-lift) and the reusable Kinetica-2 medium-lift rocket, including sea-launch capability. Directly competes for the same domestic satellite launch contracts and is one of China's most-flown private launch vehicles alongside CERES-1.
• Orienspace (东方空间): Chinese private launch company developing Gravity-1 (solid, sea-launched) and Gravity-2 (reusable methane). Competes directly with Galactic Energy in both the small-sat solid and reusable liquid segments and serves similar Chinese constellation customers.
• Deep Blue Aerospace (深蓝航天): Chinese private launch startup focused on Nebula-1 (small-lift) and reusable Nebula-2 medium-lift methalox rockets with VTVL recovery. Comparable to Galactic Energy's PALLAS series and competes for the same constellation customer base, with a strong reusability focus.
• Rocket Lab: U.S./global small and medium launch company operating Electron (small-lift) and developing Neutron (reusable medium-lift). Closest Western analog in terms of small-satellite launch focus and reusable liquid technology roadmap, though operating in different geographies and customer pools.

Emerging players

• OneSpace (零壹空间): Earlier-stage Chinese private launch participant that pioneered private solid rockets (OS-X series). Comparable category player though with significantly less commercial flight heritage than Galactic Energy; illustrates the broader Chinese private launch cohort.
• Relativity Space: U.S. private launch startup developing Terran 1 (small-lift, 3D-printed methalox) and the fully reusable Terran R. Indirectly comparable via heavy use of 3D-printed rocket engines and reusable architecture similar to Pallas series.
• Astra Space: Earlier U.S. small launch company that attempted to scale a small-lift platform before pivoting toward spacecraft engine technology. Comparable as a small-launch startup archetype but does not target the same Chinese customer base.

Broad incumbents

• SpaceX: Dominant global commercial launch incumbent with Falcon 9 (reusable), Falcon Heavy, and Starship. While not a direct competitor geographically, SpaceX sets the cost-and-cadence benchmark that any reusable launch player (including PALLAS-2) must compete against over time.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/galactic-energy-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds7 records

Investors33 records

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Galactic Energy Aerospace Technology