Tianlong-3 Accidentally Launched During a Planned Static Fire

by Brian Wang

Amateur footage captured by Gongyi citizens and posted on Chinese social media shows Tianong-3, nine-engine test stage igniting and taking off. Hold-down clamps and other structures usually prevent takeoff during a firing test.

The stage is seen climbing into the sky before halting, apparently with its engines shutting off, and falling to Earth. The stage impacted the ground around 50 seconds after it took off, apparently with much of its kerosene-liquid oxygen propellant remaining, causing a large explosion. The Tianlong-3 first stage would likely fire for a number of minutes on an orbital flight.

The reports are there were no casualties.

The incident comes shortly after China’s high-profile success of returning the first ever lunar far side samples to Earth with Chang’e-6.

Wow. This is apparently what was supposed to be a STATIC FIRE TEST today of a Tianlong-3 first stage by China's Space Pioneer. That's catastrophic, not static. Firm was targeting an orbital launch in the coming months.

Andrew Jone, June 30,3035

There was another incident of a hypergolic rocket stage falling over a populated area. On June 22, 2024, a Long March 2C rocket lifted off from Xichang Satellite Launch Center. It fell back over a populated area.

A video posted on Chinese social media site Sina Weibo appears to show a rocket booster falling on a populated area with people running for cover. The booster fell to Earth near Guiding County, Qiandongnan Prefecture in Guizhou province, according to another post.