A Chinese space firm accidentally launched its Tianlong-3 rocket during a test, causing the vehicle to lift off and crash into a nearby mountainside.
Multiple people in the nearby city of Gongyi captured videos of the accidental launch, showing the rocket roaring into the sky, leaving a trail of smoke, and eventually crashing in a fireball explosion.
The rocket is designed as a rival to SpaceX's Falcon 9, with similar takeoff mass, reflight capabilities, and described as comparable by Tianbing Aerospace Technology.
The Tianlong-3 is now being hailed as a revolutionary rocket for China's space industry, despite the accidental test launch and subsequent crash.
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