The commercial Chinese rocket, Tianlong-3, accidentally launched during a ground test on Sunday, crashing into a nearby mountain and exploding in flames, the private company, Space Pioneer, confirmed. Due to a structural failure, the rocket lifted off from its launchpad while its propulsion system was being tested at a facility in Gongyi city in Henan Province. After launching, the rocket automatically shut down, falling into a hilly area about a mile from the test site. There were no injuries reported, and the crash site was evacuated before the test.
Videos showed the rocket climbing before losing power and crashing into a hill, starting a fire that was extinguished by the evening. The accident occurred during a static fire test, a routine procedure used by space companies like SpaceX. Chinese authorities have been actively fostering the commercial space industry, with Space Pioneer being a key player. The Tianlong-3 rocket is meant to help construct China’s satellite internet system.
China has been expanding its space ambitions, recently retrieving rock samples from the moon’s far side and planning for a manned moon mission before 2030. Space Pioneer’s previous rocket, Tianlong-2, successfully entered orbit last year. According to the company, Tianlong-3 is comparable to SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, which successfully launched astronauts into orbit in 2020. The rapid growth of China’s commercial space industry reflects the nation’s increasing space aspirations.
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