Chinese rocket test ends in explosion after unplanned liftoff
A Chinese rocket crashed Sunday after accidentally being launched during a test. Chinese commercial company Space Pioneer conducted what was supposed to be a static-fire test of the first stage of its Tianlong-3 launch vehicle at a test facility in Gongyi country in Henan province, the Space News website reported.
In a static-fire test, the stage is securely held in place while its engines are ignited to simulate launch conditions, it said.