technology

At the heart of the ambitious project is Galactic Energy, a private aerospace company that plans to debut the world’s first electromagnetic rocket launch pad by 2028, a project that could redraw the competitive lines of the global space industry.

Developed in partnership with state-backed research institutes in Sichuan province in southwestern China, the system uses superconducting magnets to silently accelerate rockets to supersonic speeds before ignition, a process often compared to launching a maglev train vertically.

The Ziyang government in Sichuan and the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) are testing China’s first electromagnetic launch verification platform with the ambitious goal of launching in three years, according to a report by Sichuan Radio and Television last week.

The platform would accelerate rockets to speeds above Mach 1 as rockets burn most fuel at the beginning of a flight, and offers a future in which launches could become as routine as high-speed train departures.

The technology could double payload capacity and lower the launch cost, said Li Ping, president of the Ziyang Commercial Space Launch Technology Research Institute. Li said the launch track would not require the maintenance needed for traditional launch pads, enabling more frequent launches.

If successful, it could offer China the critical edge it seeks to challenge American giants such as SpaceX.

Founded in 2018, Galactic Energy has conducted 18 successful launches, deploying a total of 77 satellites – more than any other private space company in China. On March 21, it launched six weather satellites into sun-synchronous orbit with its Ceres-1 rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre.

A company spokesperson declined to provide further details on its Ceres-2 project.

According to the Sichuan television report, Ceres-2 will feature a major performance upgrade, with a planned payload capacity of 3.5 tonnes to low-Earth orbit compared to Ceres-1’s current capacity of 400kg (880 pounds).

Galactic Energy’s second factory – the construction of which is expected to start later this year – is expected to produce 24 Ceres-2 rockets a year.

Local government documents, including a three-year implementation plan for Ziyang’s commercial space industry, highlight the strategic importance of the development.

The plan calls for accelerating key projects, such as the Galactic Energy expansion and the electromagnetic propulsion testing system, while also encouraging collaboration across upstream and downstream segments of the aerospace supply chain.

By 2027, Ziyang aims to become a nationally recognised hub for commercial rocket production and a leader in reusable electromagnetic launch platforms.

In a September 2023 milestone, CASIC completed a high-temperature superconducting maglev test for electromagnetic space launch. It reached 234km/h over a 380-metre track, marking another step towards operational viability.