Beijing: A private aerospace company in China accidentally launched a rocket that crashed into a nearby mountain.
According to media reports, Beijing Tianbing Technology Company admitted the mistake on their WeChat channel, which occurred during the test of the Tianlong-3 rocket in the southwestern city of Gongyi.
The company stated that the first stage of the Tianlong-3 test launch was proceeding as usual when a structural failure caused an unexpected separation of a part of the reusable craft’s body.
The company further explained that after liftoff, the rocket’s onboard computer automatically shut down, and the rocket crashed into a mountain 1.5 kilometers southwest of the test site. The rocket’s body was completely destroyed upon impact with the mountain.
Both the company and local authorities confirmed that there were no casualties in the incident.
