The first stage of the Tianlong-3 rocket under construction detached from the launch platform during testing, according to Reuters.
Beijing Tianbing Technology Co said on Sunday a structural failure caused the first stage of its Tianlong-3 rocket under development to detach from the launch site during testing and land in a hilly area in Gongyi, Henan Province. The company, also known as Space Pioneer, said parts of the rocket stage dispersed in a “safe area” but caused a localised fire, but no injuries claimed during the preliminary investigation.
The two-stage Tianlong-3 rocket (“Sky Dragon 3”) is a partially reusable rocket being developed by Space Pioneer, one of the few private rocket manufacturers whose numbers have been growing rapidly over the past five years. Cases where a part of a rocket in development makes an unplanned flight beyond the test site and crashes are rare.
The first stage of the Tianlong-3 rocket launched normally during a hot test, but due to a structural failure, it separated from the test stand and landed in a hilly area 1.5 kilometres away, Space Pioneer said.
Space Pioneer launched the Tianlong-2 kerosene-oxygen rocket in April 2023, thus becoming the first private Chinese company to launch a liquid-fuelled rocket into space. Commercial space companies have rushed into the sector since 2014, when the government authorised private investment in the industry. Space Pioneer’s focus includes the development of reusable rockets that can significantly reduce mission costs. Moreover, the Tianlong-3’s performance is comparable to that of SpaceX’s Falcon 9.
