Galactic Energy’s Pallas-1 rocket completed its debut flight on August 31, 2026, lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China. Propelled by a dual-engine strategy, this triumph in its inaugural flight signifies Galactic Energy formally stepping into an innovative phase where solid and liquid propellants are used together.
Debut Launch at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center
Another reusable Chinese rocket has taken to the skies. According to Galactic Energy, the Pallas-1 launcher developed by the Beijing-based company Galactic Energy flew for the first time ever on Monday, August 31, 2026. Liftoff occurred at 10 p.m. Beijing time on September 1.
Everything went well on the mission, according to Galactic Energy. About 30 minutes after liftoff, the company announced via social media that the rocket successfully entered its predetermined orbit. Driven by a dual-engine approach, this successful maiden flight ushers in Galactic Energy’s official transition into a new developmental era combining liquid and solid propellants.
Rocket Specifications and Constellation Vision
Measuring 171 feet (52 meters) in height, the two-stage Pallas-1 is capable of lifting roughly 15,400 pounds (7,000 kilograms) into low Earth orbit. While Galactic Energy operates the Ceres-1 small-satellite launcher—which has 23 flights under its belt to date—the company did not reveal what payloads, if any, Pallas-1 carried to orbit on its first flight.
Galactic Energy wrote in its update that the Pallas-1 is designed to be one of its core models for the large-scale satellite constellation deployment and launch market. Reuse is central to that vision. Similar to SpaceX’s Falcon 9, the Pallas-1 features a reusable first stage designed to fly 25 times. The booster is designed to steer its way back to Earth with the aid of hypersonic grid fins and touch down on deployable landing legs, though no landing attempt occurred on the debut flight.
Targeting Booster Landing in Late 2027
While the rocket successfully reached orbit on August 31, 2026, Galactic Energy is targeting the second half of 2027 for its first booster landing milestone, according to Space News.
Having two predecessors accomplish the feat already—the Long March 10B, which brought its first stage down into an ocean-going ship’s net on July 10, and Zhuque-3, which landed on legs on August 18—Pallas-1 will not secure the title of the first Chinese rocket to successfully land during an orbital flight.
China's Growing Reusable Rocket Industry
Long March rockets are built by the state-owned China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. Meanwhile, Zhuque-3 was developed by Beijing startup LandSpace.
A number of other domestic companies are also working on partially reusable rockets. These industry participants include CAS Space, Deep Blue Aerospace, iSpace, Orienspace, and Space Pioneer, underscoring a broad commercial push toward reusable launch capabilities across China.
