The Chinese Tianlong-3 Rocket Accidentally Launched During A Engine Test

[u/Harry_the_space_man]

A Chinese Rocket Exploded Today After It Accidentally Launched During A Static Fire Test.

Link: https://x.com/aj_fi/status/1807339807640518690?s=46&t=XQLIlKXE_nRmbO5OFOpZFw

[u/AhdaAhda]

I read the news report coming from China. Apparently the connection point on the ground didn't hold the rocket sturdy enough. That's why the rocket went up in the sky. The villagers were warned about the test and have evacuated the area two days ago, so there were no casualties.

source https://www.singtao.ca/googleamp/amp.php?region=vancouver_hk&cat=145&post_id=6753553

[u/Necro_Bee → u/AhdaAhda]

Why the fuck are there villages near a rocket launch pad?

[u/toetappy → u/Necro_Bee]

Cuz fucking politics. They don't want to put them on the coast because they don't want the US spying on their progress. Lol

One of spacex's Falcon 9 rockets just successfully completed its TWENTY THIRD launch/landing. In total, the falcon 9 rockets completed their missions and landed to be reused 294 times!!

[u/Much_Horse_5685 → u/toetappy]

China actually built its original rocket launch sites inland for protection from any possible naval attack, albeit with the infamous consequence of dropping spent rocket stages on villages. Putting rocket launch sites inland provides no protection from spy satellites.

China now has a much newer coastal launch facility, Wenchang, however its launch infrastructure can only be used to launch the newer Long March 5 launch vehicle and cannot be used to launch legacy launch vehicles.

[u/toetappy → u/Much_Horse_5685]

Ok. So they just yeeting all their legacy launch vehicles to be done with them?

[u/Much_Horse_5685 → u/toetappy]

No. The Long March 5 is a heavy-lift launch vehicle unsuitable for lighter payloads without extensive ridesharing, and notably China’s crewed Shenzhou spacecraft is only compatible with the Long March 2F launch vehicle (although China’s under-development replacement for Shenzhou, Mengzhou, is launched by the Long March 5).

[u/toetappy → u/Much_Horse_5685]

Thank you for the knowledge.

So, they are still actively using the inland launch site.

So, the fact they finally built a launch site on the coast for one rocket doesn't really add to what the discussion was about.

[u/Much_Horse_5685 → u/toetappy]

Yes, CNSA is still actively using the inland launch site. However, they are gradually migrating their launch operations to Long March 5 and future rockets launched from Wenchang.

[u/toetappy → u/Much_Horse_5685]

Thank you for the calm replies.

How come they're testing this new rocket design at the old launch site they're allegedly phasing out, instead of the newer, safer site on the coast?

[u/Much_Horse_5685 → u/toetappy]

Because this isn’t a directly CNSA-owned rocket and they’re not actually testing it at any of CNSA’s inland launch sites. Tianlong-3 is being developed by the private company Space Pioneer, is planned to launch from Wenchang, and accidentally launched while undergoing static fire testing at the privately owned Gongyi Engine Test Facility.

[u/magic6op → u/toetappy]

I bet they already apprehended the guy that took this video..

[u/KaramAfr0 → u/toetappy]

Nah, Multiple Chinese reusable rocket companies are building barges and not just for testing... Believe it or not the CCP doesn't want their citizens hurt.

[u/toetappy → u/KaramAfr0]

Your comment is silly.

I explained why these rockets are launching so far inland.

[u/maxmcleod → u/KaramAfr0]

This was less than a week ago:

https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/24/china/china-rocket-debris-falls-over-village-intl-hnk/index.html

weird looking barge... almost looks like a Chinese village

[u/rts93 → u/Necro_Bee]

What village? I only see a crater in the ground.

[u/itsallover69420 → u/Necro_Bee]

Because China

[u/marrangutang → u/AhdaAhda]

Really? They evacuate entire villages for an engine test? Crazy

[u/Consistently_Carpet → u/marrangutang]

Seems less crazy after seeing this.

Just hope no one there is watching it land on their house.

[u/FortuneHasFaded → u/marrangutang]

Yes, they TOTALLY evacuated a village because of a rocket test and there were DEFINITELY no casualties. Our rocket explosions are 100% safe, 100% of the time wink

[u/redpandaeater → u/AhdaAhda]

Well further evidence they don't have a way to even self-destruct the rocket like any sane rocket program does. Blowing it up so the vast majority of fuel is burned up before it impacts the ground is just relatively basic range safety. They haven't learned a thing since Intelsat 708's failed launch.

[u/jryan8064 → u/redpandaeater]

I’m actually not sure that even US rockets have the FTS explosives installed for static fire tests. I know for Starship tests, SpaceX only installs the explosives a day before actual launches, not static fires. That’s one of the ways that tank watchers down in Boca Chica know that launch is imminent.

[u/hazelquarrier_couch → u/redpandaeater]

I was just wondering about that. As it was going up, I kept thinking "oh, well they'll just push the self-destruct button..." and nothing...

[u/NewestAccount2023 → u/AhdaAhda]

Well that's what happens when you use Chinese parts to hold your rocket down 

[u/Boron-table → u/AhdaAhda]

No official casualties from rocket debris ever admitted since the 1990s. Investigative journalists said otherwise.

[u/TheWuAbides → u/AhdaAhda]

Always trust CCP media. Amirite?

[u/KnockturnalNOR → u/AhdaAhda]

The villagers were warned about the test and have evacuated the area two days ago

Except that's clearly cope because a ton of people on the Chinese internet all said they had no idea there was even a rocket test facility in the entire area before this. I mean how do you even explain the multiple camera angles, there are clearly people there