A mishap in Henan: Chinese rocket launch ends in hillside explosion

It may seem impossible, yet it happened. This past Sunday, a Chinese rocket "accidentally" launched, then fell and exploded on a hillside in Henan province in central China. A blood-curdling video of the moment was shared online.

On Sunday in China, an unusual incident occurred involving the Tianlong-3 rocket, which "accidentally" launched and then crashed. Videos circulating on social media show the rocket falling to the ground and exploding on a hillside in Henan province in central China.

The company responsible for the rocket, Tianbing Technology, announced that the Tianlong-3 "detached" from the launch platform during a ground test. Company representatives explained that a structural failure was the cause of the incident. Fortunately, no one was hurt as the area had been evacuated beforehand.

The Tianlong-3 is a Chinese rocket designed and manufactured to be reusable. Its design was intended to enable the rocket to be reused after completing its mission, a crucial element of modern space technologies. However, the failure during the ground test highlights the challenges associated with developing such advanced technologies.

Reusable rockets aim to significantly reduce the costs of space exploration, as they allow for the reuse of components that previously would have been single-use. Despite the incident, Tianbing Technology is likely to continue perfecting its projects to achieve its goals.