Launch failed: Chinese rocket exploded shortly after liftoff

The launch of a Chinese Long March 7A rocket failed on Tuesday following a malfunction that occurred shortly after liftoff from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in Hainan. The rocket was carrying the ChinaSat-4B communications satellite, but the mission ended in failure, and authorities in China have opened an investigation into the circumstances of the malfunction.

According to the Chinese news agency Xinhua, the rocket was launched at 20:02 Beijing time. Experts who examined the launch footage estimated that the rocket was completely destroyed at a relatively low altitude and speed, so neither the satellite nor the rocket debris reached orbit around the Earth.

This is the first failure of the Long March 7A since its maiden flight in March 2020, which also ended in a malfunction. Since then, the rocket returned to service and completed more than 12 successful launches. SpaceX founder Elon Musk commented on the event, writing on the X network that "rockets are insanely hard," and added that he hopes the Chinese will recover quickly from the failure.

In China, preparations are simultaneously underway for the Chang'e-7 mission to explore the Moon's South Pole, which is scheduled to launch in the second half of 2026. The mission will use a Long March 5 rocket, so according to initial assessments, the current failure is not expected to significantly affect its schedule.