Chinese rocket explodes less than 90 seconds after liftoff
China's latest rocket launch ended in failure this morning (Aug. 10), lighting up the skies with some unwanted fireworks.
China's latest rocket launch, conducted by the state-owned China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), ended in failure on August 10. The Long March 7A rocket, launched from the Wenchang Space Launch Site in Hainan province, exploded approximately 85 seconds after liftoff, creating a massive fireball and cloud of smoke and debris.
The mission is expected to be deemed a complete failure, with the loss of the vehicle and payload. This marks the 18th Long March 7A mission, all of which have ended in explosions. The incident is believed to be due to an engine malfunction occurring shortly after the first-stage separation. The 7A rocket is a variant of China's Long March 7 rocket family, standing over 197 feet tall and launching up to 7 tons to geostationary transfer orbit.
The rocket was carrying China's Zhongxing-4B communications satellite, which was intended for geostationary transfer orbit. The explosion may impact upcoming launches, including a Zhuque-3 rocket liftoff scheduled for the following evening from China's Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.
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