Chinese private rocket maker defies the odds through innovation

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠A Chinese private rocket manufacturer has established a foothold in the industry by pioneering innovative solutions to low-cost commercial space launches.

Founded just seven years ago, Galactic Energy has already achieved 19 successful launches, deploying 81 satellites for 25 clients - a record that makes it China's first private firm to achieve successive launch successes.

This remarkable achievement is fueled by radical engineering ingenuity. Galactic Energy has applied 3D printing technology into rocket engine manufacturing, slashing costs while improving efficiency.

"Traditional engines have a long manufacturing cycle and high costs. It takes about six months to make one. Now, by adopting a 3D printing solution, we've shortened the production cycle to less than one month, and the cost is only around 6,000 or 7,000 yuan, nearly one-tenth of the original cost. The weight is also reduced by half," said Liu Baiqi, founder and CEO of the company.

In addition, the Beijing-based firm has also made a bold design of a four-stage integrated rocket that is not divided into different sections, so as to reduce its weight.

"By removing sections from this structure, we reduced its weight by 75 kilograms. That means an extra 75 kilograms of payload capacity. At a typical rate of 100,000 yuan (about 14,000 U.S. dollars) per kilogram, carrying 75 kilograms more satellites generates an additional 7.5 million yuan per launch," Liu said.

Another striking innovation of the Galactic Energy addresses the problem of space debris. Rather than letting spent rocket parts become orbital junk, the company transforms them into functional satellites.

"So we modified it. You can see this panel. We attached a solar panel to the rocket to provide continuous power and added satellite attitude control and communication components. This part of the rocket is thus transformed into a satellite. What can this satellite be used for? First, it can conduct space environment tests and verification for new satellite components and parts. Second, it can perform low-cost space debris removal," Liu said.

Galactic Energy now flies the CERES-1 carrier rockets and is developing the CERES-2, which is expecting its first flight in late August.

Chinese private rocket maker defies the odds through innovation

American Nobel laureate James Heckman said he remains positive and optimistic about China's development, as the Chinese have always been pragmatic and realistic.

Heckman, an American economist who won the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2000, shared his views on China and the Chinese people in an exclusive interview with China Media Group (CMG) in Beijing, which was released on Friday.

"I think it comes from several forces, dealing with the Chinese and seeing the vitality in the society. And I think there is a fundamental energy there. The elements are there, the vitality is there in terms of the industries, the universities. The country's vital, the people are intelligent, the society is rich in a fundamental way. The Chinese have always been very pragmatic, and they are very realistic," he said.

Heckman said what makes him admire about the Chinese people is their virtues and values.

"Look at China as a place that has a deep sense of values. Hard work and the values that I think are truly virtues, character values. But, see, China also has a chip on its shoulder, it does. It had a chip on its shoulder since the 1840s, the Opium War, right? And so there's a sense that you can see it, and I don't mind, that's kind of good. Because they're getting stronger and stronger and you can't help but admire it in the sense that, yes, they are stronger, and they're doing things much more wisely in many ways than what we're doing," Heckman said.

"So there's a sense in which there's more of a sense of purpose in China. Most of the Chinese students that I deal with and people I deal with, even though they may disagree on details, have this sense of unity and pride in China. And I think that's lacking with a lot of Americans," he said.

U.S. Nobel laureate optimistic about China's development