A Chinese Long March 7A rocket carrying the Zhongxing 4B communications satellite exploded into a fireball less than 90 seconds after liftoff from the Wenchang Space Launch Site on Hainan island on Monday evening, destroying both the launch vehicle and its payload.
The rocket lifted off at 8:02 p.m. local time and suffered a flight anomaly before first- and second-stage separation, according to state media. Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics astronomer Jonathan McDowell said launch footage showed the vehicle disintegrating completely at relatively low altitude and speed, meaning neither the payload nor debris reached orbit. The China National Space Administration did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The failure marks only the second loss for the Long March 7A program, which had recorded 16 consecutive successful missions since its maiden flight failure in March 2020.