Read previewA Chinese space firm said on Sunday that it accidentally launched its Tianlong-3 rocket during a test, causing the vehicle to lift off and crash into a nearby mountainside. The Chinese Tianlong-3 Rocket Accidentally Launched During A Engine Test pic.twitter.com/EK54F4chYF — 𝕏 Ali Al Samahi 𝕏 (@alsamahi) June 30, 2024"The rocket body disintegrated after falling into the mountain," Tianbing's statement said. Related storiesDesigned to deliver satellites to orbit, it's a liquid-propellant rocket described by Tianbing as "comparable to Space X's Falcon 9." Tianbing, one of several Chinese private space rocket companies to gain prominence in recent years, in April 2023 launched another reusable rocket — the Tianlong-2 — fueled by coal-based kerosene. With nine engines, the Tianlong-3 is now being touted by Tianbing as a revolutionary rocket for China's space industry.

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Persons: — Organizations: Service, Tianbing Aerospace Technology, Business Locations: Beijing, Gongyi, Henan