In a dramatic turn of events, Chinese company Space Pioneer's test of its Tianlong-3 rocket took a disastrous turn on Sunday, resulting in a crash and explosion near a city in Central China. Despite the severity of the incident, fortunately, no injuries have been reported thus far.

Videos shared on social media captured the unsettling moment when the rocket's first stage emerged from a dense cloud and launched into the sky, only to lose momentum as its engines abruptly shut down. The rocket then plummeted to the ground, creating a massive fireball in its wake.

The incident occurred during a hot firing test of the Tianlong-3 rocket at a facility in Gongyi City, Henan Province. The purpose of the test was to ignite the vehicle's nine engines while it was securely tethered to the ground, preventing it from reaching orbit.

Space Pioneer attributed the mishap to a "structural failure" of the test bench, resulting in the rocket's separation from the launch pad, as stated in their official statement. The onboard computer promptly detected the abnormal activity and automatically shut down the engines, causing the Tianlong-3 to plummet towards a hilly area near the city.

Space Pioneer had high hopes for the hot firing test, aiming to pave the way for an orbital launch of the Tianlong-3 rocket in the coming months. The company has boasted that the rocket's performance is on par with SpaceX's Falcon 9, with a capacity to carry 590 tons to orbit, slightly less than the Falcon 9's 605-ton capacity.

Having already made history in April 2023 with the successful launch of the Tianlong-2 rocket on its first attempt, Space Pioneer took pride in being the first commercial Chinese firm to achieve orbital flight using liquid rocket propulsion. The Tianlong-3, a larger liquid propellant rocket equipped with a reusable first stage, was specifically designed to support the launch of China's satellite internet network into orbit.

This incident comes just a week after a video circulated online, showing another Chinese rocket descending over a populated area, causing panic as toxic chemicals were expelled into the atmosphere. Launch sites in China are typically located inland, heightening the risk of rocket debris falling onto inhabited regions. However, the country's newest launch site, the Hainan Commercial Launch Site, located near the coastal Wenchang spaceport in the South China Sea, may help mitigate this concern.

As investigations into the accident continue, Space Pioneer must address the structural issues to prevent similar incidents in the future. The setback serves as a reminder of the inherent risks and challenges involved in space exploration and highlights the need for continued stringent safety measures in this rapidly advancing industry.