A routine static firing test of the Tianlong-3 rocket’s first stage by Beijing Tianbing Technology Co., also known as Space Pioneer, ended in a dramatic explosion on Sunday. The incident occurred at a test facility in Gongyi, Henan province, when the booster unexpectedly detached from its launch pad due to a structural failure, causing it to blast off before crashing in nearby hills.
Footage of the event captured by local residents shows the rocket stage igniting, lifting off the ground, and climbing for about 30 seconds before flipping and free-falling back to the surface. Approximately one minute after the unintended launch, the rocket exploded upon impact, resulting in a massive fireball. Despite the explosion, no casualties were reported, according to initial investigations by Space Pioneer and local emergency management authorities.
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Chinese Tianlong-3 Rocket Accidentally Launched During A Engine Test
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Space Pioneer attributed the incident to a structural failure at the connection between the rocket and the test stand. The onboard computer automatically shut down the engines as the rocket began to fall, ultimately landing 1.5 kilometers southwest of the test site.
The test was part of the development process for the Tianlong-3, a rocket benchmarked against SpaceX’s Falcon 9. Space Pioneer, which secured $207 million in funding earlier this month, intended this test as a buildup to an orbital launch planned for the coming months. The rocket’s first stage is designed to generate 820 tons of thrust and is capable of lifting significant payloads to low Earth orbit and sun-synchronous orbit.
The failure of the Tianlong-3 test could lead to delays in the planned orbital launch, which was expected to take place at new commercial launch facilities near the Wenchang spaceport on Hainan island.
Space Pioneer has pledged to conduct a thorough analysis of the incident and resume testing with new hardware as soon as possible.
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