The incident occurred when the first stage of the Tianlong-3 rocket separated from the launch pad during a test due to a structural failure. It crashed in a mountainous area of Gongyi city in central China.
Space Pioneer's Tianlong-3 rocket crashed after leaving the launch pad during a test. Photo: CNN
“Due to a structural failure of the connection between the rocket body and the test stand, the first stage rocket separated from the launch pad,” Space Pioneer said.
“After takeoff, the on-board computer automatically shut down, and the rocket fell into a mountain range 1.5 kilometers southwest of the test stand. The rocket body fell into the mountain and disintegrated,” the company added.
No injuries were reported as residents in the area were evacuated before the missile test.
Space Pioneer is a leading company in the commercial rocket industry, specializing in liquid-fueled rockets.
In April 2023, the company successfully launched the Tianlong-2 rocket, making it the first Chinese commercial operator to send a liquid-fueled rocket into space and successfully into orbit, according to state media.
Tianlong-3 is a large liquid-fueled rocket. It was built to help build China's satellite internet network.
The rocket's performance is comparable to SpaceX's Falcon 9, and it will be capable of launching more than 30 rockets per year after its first successful flight, according to Space Pioneer.
The accident came just days after China's Chang'e-6 module returned to Earth from space, after it collected the first samples from the far side of the Moon.
The mission is a milestone in China's "eternal dream" of establishing the country as a dominant space power as several countries, including the United States, are also stepping up their lunar exploration programs.
Hong Hanh (according to CNN)
Source: https://www.congluan.vn/sieu-ten-lua-trung-quoc-gap-su-co-trong-qua-trinh-thu-nghiem-post301882.html
Comment (0)