02 July 2024, A Chinese space firm announced on Sunday that an accidental launch of its Tianlong-3 rocket during a test caused the vehicle to lift off and crash into a nearby mountainside.
Beijing-based Tianbing Aerospace Technology was conducting a first-stage test of the rocket’s power system when a “structural failure” led to the Tianlong-3 separating from its launchpad, the company said in a statement. The test was supposed to keep the rocket stationary while its engines fired.
Footage from the nearby city of Gongyi in Henan province captured the unexpected launch, showing the rocket roaring into the sky, trailing black smoke, and then falling to the ground in a dramatic explosion.
“The rocket body disintegrated after falling into the mountain,” Tianbing’s statement confirmed. Local authorities reported that the explosion caused a fire away from residential areas and that no injuries occurred.
The Tianlong-3, designed to deliver satellites to orbit, is a liquid-propellant rocket described by Tianbing as “comparable to SpaceX’s Falcon 9.” It can take off with a mass of 590 tons and is designed for reusability, estimated for up to 10 trips.
Tianbing, a rising player among Chinese private space rocket companies, previously launched the reusable Tianlong-2 rocket in April 2023. The Tianlong-3, with its nine engines, is touted by Tianbing as a revolutionary advancement for China’s space industry.
“This is the most potent power system test of any carrier rocket currently under development in the country, and is three times more powerful than any previous test of the largest thrust in China’s aerospace industry,” Tianbing wrote.
China opened its space industry to private firms in 2014, leading to significant investments in aerospace technology, including reusable rockets, which are seen as crucial for the future of space exploration.
Online reactions in China compared the failure to the early challenges faced by SpaceX with its Falcon rockets. One Weibo blogger noted, “Musk’s Falcon 9 also had a lot of explosions at the beginning. If all nine units of Tianlong 3 are ignited in parallel this time, it can be considered a 70 percent success.”
The accident occurred just days after Chinese leader Xi Jinping urged the country’s science sector to intensify efforts and compete with Western technological advancements.
“We must bolster our sense of urgency. We must go further with our efforts to innovate. To occupy the commanding heights of science and tech competition and future development,” Xi said on Tuesday.
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