Chinese rocket crashes due to failed launch during testing on the ground.

According to a statement from Space Pioneer, a Chinese rocket met an unfortunate fate after being mistakenly launched during a ground test. The incident occurred when the Tianlong-3 rocket's first stage detached from its launch pad due to a structural malfunction. It ultimately landed in a hilly region in Gongyi, a city located in the central part of China.

Space Pioneer, also known as Beijing Tianbing Technology, explained that the rocket's body became disconnected from the test platform, causing it to be separated from the launch pad. As a result, the onboard computer automatically shut down and the rocket descended into the deep mountains, approximately 1.5 kilometers southwest of its intended destination. The rocket's body disintegrated upon impact with the mountain.

Fortunately, there were no reported injuries as a result of this incident. The company had taken precautions and evacuated people from the surrounding area before conducting the test. Space Pioneer is a prominent player in the commercial rocket industry, specializing in liquid-propellant rockets. In fact, they made history in April 2023 when their Tianlong-2 rocket successfully entered orbit. This made them the first commercial launch operator in China to achieve this feat, as reported by state media.

The Tianlong-3, the unfortunate rocket that crashed on Sunday, was a large liquid carrier rocket designed to aid in the construction of China's satellite internet network. According to Space Pioneer, its performance is comparable to that of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket. They also mentioned that once the rocket successfully completes its first flight, it will be capable of launching over 30 times per year.

This incident occurred just days after China's Chang'e-6 lunar module returned to Earth with the first-ever samples collected from the far side of the moon. This mission was a significant milestone in China's pursuit of becoming a dominant space power, as stated by Chinese leader Xi Jinping. It also coincides with other countries, such as the United States, ramping up their own lunar exploration programs.

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