Beijing: Chinese company Space Pioneer inadvertently launched a rocket still in development, leading to a fiery crash in a hilly area near Gongyi in central China. 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 test due to a structural failure. An initial investigation found no casualties, according to a statement on Space Pioneer’s official WeChat account.
Rocket debris scattered within a designated “safe area,” causing a local fire that has since been extinguished, the Gongyi Emergency Management Bureau confirmed. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
The two-stage Tianlong-3 (Sky Dragon 3) rocket, currently under development by Space Pioneer, is partly reusable. Space Pioneer is one of several private-sector rocket manufacturers that have rapidly grown over the past five years.
While falling rocket debris in China is not uncommon, it is rare for a rocket under development to make an unplanned flight from its test site and crash. According to Space Pioneer, the first stage of the Tianlong-3 ignited normally during a hot test but later detached from the test bench due to structural failure, landing in hilly areas 1.5 kilometers away.
A rocket typically consists of multiple stages, with the first stage igniting and propelling the rocket upwards at launch.
