Galactic Energy's solid-fuel commercial small launch vehicle with a liquid upper stage, delivering 300 kg to SSO from Chinese spaceports.
Ceres-1
Galactic Energy's solid-fuel commercial small launch vehicle with a liquid upper stage, delivering 300 kg to SSO from Chinese spaceports.
Description
Ceres-1 (Gushenxing-1) is a four-stage commercial launch vehicle — three solid stages and a liquid upper stage — developed and operated by Galactic Energy (Beijing Xinghe Power Aerospace Technology Co.), one of China's leading private commercial launch companies. The vehicle delivers 420 kg to LEO or 300 kg to sun-synchronous orbit (SSO), targeting the commercial small satellite market.
Galactic Energy made history on November 7, 2020 with the Ceres-1's first flight, making it the first Chinese private commercial company to successfully reach orbit on the first attempt. The company has since conducted multiple successful commercial missions, launching smallsats for domestic and international customers.
The solid-motor stack with a small liquid upper stage provides simplicity, reliability, and rapid launch preparation, with the vehicle operating from both land-based and sea-launch configurations. Galactic Energy is also developing the larger Pallas-1 (LOX/kerosene), rated at up to 7 t to LEO, with a vertically recoverable first stage.
Specifications
| Stages | 4 (3 solid stages + liquid upper stage) |
|---|---|
| Payload to LEO | 420 kg |
| Payload to SSO | 300 kg |
| First flight | November 7, 2020 (success) |
| Achievement | First Chinese private company to orbit on first attempt |
| Launch sites | Jiuquan SLC; sea launch platform |
| Diameter | 1.4 m / 1.6 m |
| Liftoff mass | 32.7 t |