Foreign Media: China's most powerful private rocket, Tianlong-3, attempted to challenge SpaceX's Falcon 9, but failed due to flight anomalies. Developed by Beijing-based startup "Space Pioneer," the rocket aims to overcome key bottlenecks in China's large-scale internet satellite constellation, competing directly with SpaceX's Starlink project.
Tianlong-3 was launched at 12:17 PM last Friday from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Gansu Province. However, an anomaly occurred during flight, leading to the mission's failure. Space Pioneer issued a statement on social media, confirming that they are investigating the specific cause and expressing apologies to their partners.
The Tianlong-3 rocket stands 72 meters tall with a diameter of 3.8 meters, capable of delivering up to 22 tons of payload into low Earth orbit. It can carry as many as 36 satellites per launch—making it especially suitable for deploying China’s “Qianfan” broadband satellite mega-constellation. Despite this setback, Space Pioneer stated they will collaborate with relevant experts and technical teams to ensure success in future missions.
Original Source: toutiao.com/article/1861467817530443/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.