As a leading commercial aerospace company, Space Pioneer was about to conduct the maiden flight of its TL-3 rocket this year when an accident occurred during the testing process.
On the afternoon of June 30th, it was learned from the Emergency Management Bureau of Gongyi City, Henan Province that an accident occurred when a private rocket company conducted a rocket engine test in the city. The rocket accidentally took off from the test stand and flew into the air before crashing in a mountainous area. The Emergency Management Bureau of Gongyi City has been dispatched to the scene to handle the incident, and there have been no reports of casualties so far. It is reported that the rocket involved in this accident is Space Pioneer’s TL-3 first flight rocket, with the test part being its first stage.
Later, Space Pioneer responded by stating: At 3:43 pm on June 30, 2024, the TL-3 liquid carrier rocket independently developed by Space Pioneer conducted a sub-level nine-engine parallel power system hot test at the Gongyi Comprehensive Test Center in Henan Province.
During the test drive, a sub-level rocket ignited normally with an engine thrust of 820 tons. Due to structural failure at the connection between the rocket body and the test stand, the sub-level rocket detached from the launch pad. After ascending into the air, the computer on board shut down automatically, causing the rocket to fall in a deep mountain area 1.5 kilometers southwest of the test platform. The rocket disintegrated upon impact with the mountain after falling. The test site was far from downtown Gongyi City. Prior to testing, safety measures were jointly improved with local government officials and surrounding personnel were evacuated in advance. Upon investigation, no casualties were reported.
TL-3 is a large liquid carrier rocket tailored by Space Pioneer for the construction of China’s satellite internet constellation. Its performance is comparable to SpaceX’s Falcon 9, with a diameter of 3.8 meters, a liftoff mass of 590 tons, and a low Earth orbit (LEO) capacity of 17 tons and sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) capacity of 14 tons.
The test of the power system of the TL-3 carrier rocket involved igniting nine TH-12 engines simultaneously, marking the most powerful propulsion system test during the current development phase of China’s carrier rockets. Compared to previous tests with China’s largest thrust, this test saw a doubling in growth. Space Pioneer stated: “We will quickly address any malfunctions, and organize production and testing for new products.”
It is reported that as one of the most important pre-flight tests before the rocket’s maiden flight, rocket testing is also known as ‘ignition without takeoff.’ Its significance lies in verifying the correctness of the engine operation plan, the compatibility of various systems in each stage of the rocket, and key data from power system testing.
Established in 2019, Space Pioneer’s founder Kang Yonglai has been engaged in the research and project management of carrier rocket technology for nearly 20 years. He is an important figure in China’s carrier rocket industry. Since its establishment, Space Pioneer has completed 15 rounds of financing with a total amount exceeding 4 billion yuan, and its valuation has exceeded 12 billion yuan.
At the headquarters of Space Pioneer in Zhangjiagang, a total investment of 4 billion yuan was made to establish a manufacturing base for liquid rocket engines with a capacity of hundreds of tons and large-capacity liquid rocket bodies. Once fully operational, there will be production lines for 30 large liquid rockets and 500 rocket engines each year. At the 2023 China Unicorn and Potential Unicorn Enterprise Report Conference, Space Pioneer was named a “Chinese unicorn enterprise,” becoming the first “Chinese unicorn enterprise” in Zhangjiagang City at that time.
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