Chinese private rocket complete the third phase engine thermo ground test

Chinese private rocket company Galactic Energy has successfully finished the third stage thermo ground test for its Ceres-1 launch vehicle on Tuesday, according to a company statement.

The Ceres-1 rocket, which is the one of the two rockets that the company is currently developing, is expected to launch in March 2020. The Ceres-1 rocket is a low earth orbit (LEO) solid rocket. Its liquid rocket Pallas-1 will be launched in December 2022.

Prior to the third phase test, the phase one and phase two ground firing tests for Ceres-1 have already been completed in September and in early November, the statement said.

Galactic Energy, the Beijing-based budget rocket company is founded in 2018 and aims to provide low-cost, high-frequency access solutions to space trips and transportations. The company has so far successfully completed the firing test of the engine gas generator for its liquid rocket Pallas-1, apart from the thermo ground test for the solid rocket Ceres-1.