Produced by: Tarun Mishra
On Sunday, a rocket belonging to Beijing Tianbing Technology Co, also known as Space Pioneer, malfunctioned and launched itself from its test pad in Gongyi, central China.
The Tianlong-3 rocket's first stage experienced a structural failure during a hot test, causing it to detach unexpectedly and launch itself.
The rocket crashed into hilly terrain approximately 1.5 km (0.93 miles) away from its launch pad in Gongyi, central China.
Initial reports indicated no casualties from the incident, although the crash did result in a fire in the area where debris landed.
Local emergency services promptly responded to extinguish the fire caused by the rocket debris. Space Pioneer confirmed that scattered parts of the rocket fell within a designated safe area.
While rocket debris falling in China is not uncommon, it is rare for a rocket under development to malfunction and launch itself, especially outside of its designated test site.
Space Pioneer's testing facility in Gongyi, located inland in the central province of Henan, contrasts with most rocket test sites in China, which are typically situated along the coast for safety reasons.
Tianlong-3, also known as "Sky Dragon 3," is a partly reusable two-stage rocket developed by Space Pioneer. It is intended to be comparable to SpaceX's Falcon 9 and marks the company's advancement in private Chinese rocketry, following the successful launch of Tianlong-2 in April 2023.