Welkin (Chinese: 苍穹; pinyin: Cāngqióng) is a gas-generator cyclerocket engine burning RP-1 and liquid oxygen under development by Galactic Energy. The engine features a pintle type injector, a double suction coaxial split turbine pump, and a gas generator using vortex principle.[2] The engine was built with reusability in mind and can be deep throttled to 20% and re-used up to 50 times.[1][3]
Galactic Energy's Pallas-1 reusable launcher will be powered by Welkin engines. Seven Welkin engines producing 280 tonnes of thrust will be powering the first stage, while the second stage will be powered by a single vacuum-optimized engine.[4] The engine successfully completed its first full-power test in March 2022.[5]