Chinese rocket exploded during a test fire

The first stage of Space Pioneer’s Tianlong-3 rocket detached from its launch pad during a test due to structural failure and landed in an area of Gongyi, central China. No casualties were reported. Rocket parts scattered within a “safe area” caused a local fire, which has since been extinguished. Media reports suggest that the incident may have broader implications for China’s commercial space ecosystem, particularly considering the project’s backing from both central and local government entities.