A CERES-2 (Y3) launch vehicle developed by Beijing E-Town-based private aerospace company Galactic Energy completed a flight test at 7:37 a.m. on Nov. 7 (Beijing Time), placing four satellites into a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 535 kilometers.

The mission marks a substantive step forward in validating the rocket's engineering reliability. It also makes Galactic Energy the first private rocket company in China to launch two new rocket models within a single year successfully. Since the start of 2026, Beijing E-Town has recorded 29 successful commercial rocket launches, with 12 rocket models reaching orbit, accounting for 80% of the national total.

A Series of Integrated Technologies Upgrades the CERES-2

CERES-2 is a medium-lift solid-propellant launch vehicle developed by Galactic Energy for the commercial launch market. An upgraded member of the company's CERES rocket family, it uses a three-stage solid-propellant configuration with a liquid-propellant upper stage. The rocket has a liftoff mass of about 100 tonnes and can carry up to 1.3 tonnes to a 500-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit.

A company representative said the Y3 mission was treated not simply as a return to flight, but as an integrated process combining fault resolution, design improvements, ground testing and flight verification. Improvements were made across several technical areas, including overall vehicle design, the liquid upper-stage propulsion system, integrated avionics and launch support. The team reviewed the technical status of each system, tightened design margins, expanded test coverage and introduced multiple upgrades into the flight configuration.

Through more integrated, compact and streamlined design, the latest addition to Beijing E-Town's rocket portfolio has improved system efficiency and overall cost-effectiveness, creating a more competitive launch solution.

The liquid-propellant upper stage is critical to final orbital insertion, directly affecting deployment accuracy and payload efficiency. It is also an important area for reducing overall launch-system costs. For CERES-2, Galactic Energy has combined several technologies, including distributed pressurized separation, an all-metal 3D-printed liquid-propellant engine, low-cost propellant tanks and gas cylinders, and highly integrated precision valves. These improvements have increased the upper stage's mass ratio, enhancing payload performance while optimizing system costs.

The avionics system serves as the rocket's central control and communications network, handling measurement, control, communications and fault diagnosis. CERES-2 uses an integrated avionics architecture that consolidates several previously separate functional units into a more compact system. Enhanced safety-oriented testing and intelligent fault-diagnosis technologies also bring testing and fault-isolation capabilities further forward in the launch process, improving operational efficiency.

Some CERES-2 avionics products have also been standardized for batch production alongside components used in the established CERES-1 model. This approach builds on existing flight-test data and supply-chain capabilities, while improving reliability and stability, supporting product standardization and reducing system costs.

Commercial launch services also require greater flexibility to accommodate different launch platforms and operating environments. To support both land- and sea-based launches, including operations without fixed infrastructure and rapid-response missions, Galactic Energy has focused on three areas: integrating low-cost modular launch vehicles with non-pyrotechnic hold-down and release mechanisms; developing high-precision self-alignment and real-time alignment-error correction for moving launch platforms; and establishing a standardized launch preparation and control process that combines multiple data inputs with intelligent environmental regulation.

With these developments, CERES-2 is expected to become the second rocket in the CERES family, after CERES-1, capable of launching from both land-based and sea-based platforms.

A Broader Range of Launch Vehicles to Meet Market Demand

The successful Y3 mission has provided further validation of CERES-2's technical design and flight reliability, laying the groundwork for product finalization, batch production, and higher-frequency launches. Follow-on missions are progressing.

A Galactic Energy representative said CERES-2 was developed to address a gap in China's commercial launch market for payload capacities of 1 to 2 tonnes. Its key advantage is the ability to deploy multiple satellites in a single launch at a lower cost per unit. This makes it suitable for the rapid, efficient and cost-effective deployment of large satellite constellations, including communications and remote-sensing networks. The rocket is also a strategic part of the company's effort to build a comprehensive launch vehicle portfolio and compete in the expanding market for large-scale satellite deployment.

Galactic Energy is developing a product portfolio covering different payload capacities and mission requirements. CERES-1 and CERES-2 target the deployment and replenishment of small and medium-sized satellite constellations, offering flexible launch schedules and cost-effective services for commercial satellite operators.

PALLAS-1 has completed its maiden flight and is designed for larger satellite launches and large-scale constellation deployment. The company is continuing to test its recovery and reuse capabilities and advance plans for commercial application. PALLAS-2 is also under development, further expanding the company's capacity for larger payloads.

More Rocket Models and Launches Expand Beijing E-Town's Commercial Space Industry

The 29 successful launches recorded by Beijing E-Town this year reflect the growing range of commercial launch vehicles developed and operated by companies in the area.

Established models, including the Long March-8A, SmartDragon-3 and an upgraded version of Zhuque-2, are providing launch capacity for major satellite internet constellation projects and commercial satellite missions. Newer vehicles, including the Long March-10B, Zhuque-3, PALLAS-1 and CERES-2, are advancing through continued technological development.

A representative of the Bureau of Robotics and Intelligent Manufacturing of the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area said the expansion of both the rocket portfolio and launch activity reflected an industry increasingly shaped by technological innovation and market demand. The bureau will continue working with companies to develop the commercial space industry through policy support, business services, access to resources and ecosystem development, while supporting companies' growth and the wider application of advanced aerospace technologies.