A static-fire engine test, designed to keep the rocket firmly on the ground, took an unexpected turn in China on Sunday. Space Pioneer, a Chinese commercial company, ignited the engines of its Tianlong-3 rocket, only to witness the vehicle launch itself into the sky. The clamps meant to secure the rocket during the test catastrophically failed, allowing the powerful thrust to propel the rocket upward.
The situation deteriorated further as the rocket, after gaining a short altitude, seemingly lost power, causing it to plummet back to the ground and detonate in a massive fireball. A video captures the failed test, spanning about 50 seconds from ignition to the explosion.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported. In a statement, Space Pioneer acknowledged a structural failure at the point connecting the rocket body to the test bench. The rocket’s onboard computer automatically shut down the engines, but the action proved too slow to prevent the vehicle from escaping the launchpad.
Static-fire testing is a standard practice for identifying anomalies in a rocket engine, but this instance exposed a flaw in the static-fire system itself. This mishap is likely to delay the rocket’s initial official launch, scheduled for China’s new commercial launch facilities near Wenchang spaceport on Hainan island.
Last year, Space Pioneer achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first Chinese commercial launch firm to successfully send its Tianlong-2 rocket into orbit. China has recently enjoyed a series of triumphs in its space endeavors, making this incident a surprising turn of events. Notably, in June, the nation achieved a historic feat by retrieving rock samples from the moon’s far side.
