Beijing Tianbing Technology Co, also known as Space Pioneer, reported that the first stage of its Tianlong-3 rocket detached from the launch pad during a structural failure test. Initial investigations revealed no casualties, according to the company's statement on its official WeChat account.
Debris from the rocket stage landed within a designated "safe area," causing a local fire, as stated by the Gongyi Emergency Management Bureau. The fire has been extinguished with no injuries reported.
The Tianlong-3 (Sky Dragon 3) is a two-stage reusable rocket currently under development by Space Pioneer. This incident is notable as it is rare for a rocket under development to unexpectedly leave its test site and crash.
Space Pioneer clarified that the first stage of the Tianlong-3 ignited successfully during a hot test but detached due to structural failure, landing 1.5 kilometers away in a hilly region.
A rocket typically consists of several stages, with the first stage igniting at launch and propelling the rocket upwards. Once the fuel is exhausted, the first stage falls away, allowing the second stage to ignite and continue propulsion. Some rockets include a third stage.
The performance of the Tianlong-3 is said to be comparable to SpaceX's Falcon 9, another two-stage rocket. In April 2023, Space Pioneer made history by launching the Tianlong-2, a kerosene-oxygen rocket, becoming the first private Chinese company to send a liquid-propellant rocket into space.
Since private investment in the Chinese space industry was permitted in 2014, numerous commercial space companies have emerged. While some focus on satellite production, others, like Space Pioneer, aim to develop reusable rockets to reduce mission costs.
Test sites for these companies are often located along China's coastlines for safety reasons, though some, including Space Pioneer's Gongyi test center, are situated inland. Gongyi is a city with a population of 800,000 in Henan province.
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