CNN —A Chinese rocket crashed after being accidentally launched during a ground test Sunday, its company Space Pioneer said in a statement.
The crash happened when the first stage of the Tianlong-3 rocket detached from its launch pad during a test, due to structural failure.
“Due to the structural failure of the connection between the rocket body and the test platform, the first-stage rocket was separated from the launch pad,” Space Pioneer, also known as Beijing Tianbing Technology, said.
Space Pioneer, a leading company in the commercial rocket sphere, specializes in liquid-propellant rockets.
In April 2023, it successfully launched its Tianlong-2 rocket, making the company China’s first commercial launch operator to send a liquid carrier rocket into space and successfully enter orbit, according to state media.
Persons:
China’s Chang’e, Xi Jinping –
Organizations:
CNN, Beijing Tianbing Technology
Locations:
Gongyi, China, Beijing, United States