Structural Failure Causes Beijing Tianbing Rocket to Crash During Test

Beijing Tianbing Technology Co reported on Sunday that the first stage of its Tianlong-3 rocket, currently under development, detached from its launch pad during a test due to structural failure and landed in a hilly area of Gongyi in central China.

An initial investigation revealed no casualties, according to Beijing Tianbing, also known as Space Pioneer, in a statement on its official WeChat account.

Parts of the rocket stage scattered within a “safe area” but caused a local fire, stated the Gongyi emergency management bureau in a separate statement. The fire was promptly extinguished, and no injuries were reported.

The two-stage Tianlong-3 (“Sky Dragon 3”) is a partially reusable rocket being developed by Space Pioneer, one of the private-sector rocket makers that have rapidly emerged over the past five years.

While falling rocket debris after launches is not unheard of in China, it is rare for a part of a rocket under development to make an unplanned flight from its test site and crash. According to Space Pioneer, the first stage of the Tianlong-3 ignited normally during a hot test but later detached from the test bench due to structural failure and landed in hilly areas 1.5 km (0.9 mile) away.

A rocket can consist of several stages, with the first stage igniting and propelling the rocket upwards upon launch. When the fuel is exhausted, the first stage falls off, and the second stage ignites, maintaining propulsion. Some rockets even have third stages.

Space Pioneer claims the performance of the Tianlong-3 is comparable to SpaceX’s Falcon 9, also a two-stage rocket. In April 2023, Space Pioneer launched a kerosene-oxygen rocket, the Tianlong-2, becoming the first private Chinese firm to send a liquid-propellant rocket into space.

Chinese commercial space companies have surged into the sector since 2014, when private investment in the industry was permitted by the state. Many companies began by making satellites, while others, including Space Pioneer, focused on developing reusable rockets to significantly reduce mission costs.

The test sites for these companies are typically located along China’s coastal areas for safety reasons.

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