A liquid-propellant reusable rocket developed by a Chinese private space company has crashed during a test launch.
According to CNN, Beijing Tianbing Technology, also known as Space Pioneer, launched the Tianlong-3 (TL-3) at around 3:43 p.m. on Sunday, but the launch failed.
Space Pioneer reported that during a hot test, the first stage of the Tianlong-3 rocket ignited normally but later detached from the test bench due to a structural failure. Consequently, it landed in hilly areas approximately 1.5 km (0.9 miles) away.
Although no casualties were reported, a fire broke out near the crash site, prompting the fire department to respond.
Footage of the accident shared on social media shows the rocket spewing smoke as it launches into the sky. Approximately 10 seconds later, it loses power and continues to emit smoke. About 20 seconds after takeoff, the rocket crashes to the ground and is engulfed in a massive flame.
Space Pioneer is a space company that specializes in developing liquid-propellant rockets. In April 2023, they made history by successfully launching the Tianlong-2 (TL-2) and becoming the first in China to send a liquid-propellant rocket into space and enter orbit. The company had previously stated that over 50 new technologies were applied to the Tianlong-3, especially the first stage, which has autonomous return and reuse capabilities.
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