Chinese space company accidentally launches rocket in test gone wrong

Private Chinese launch outfit Space Pioneer has launched a rocket by mistake.

The company yesterday posted news of a static fire test of the Tianlong-3 liquid carrier rocket, a craft it compares to SpaceX’s Falcon 9.

The first stage of the vehicle lit up as planned, with nine engines all roaring and pumping out a combined 820 tons of thrust.

Video of the suggests the rocket was stacked vertically. Space Pioneer's statement says it was secured to a test bench - a common arrangement that sees extremely resilient restraints fitted so that when engines fire there’s plenty of hot gas to be seen and measured, and lots of vibration, but the rocket doesn’t go anywhere.

But Space Pioneer’s test bench experienced a structural failure that allowed the rocket to break free and become airborne.

The test bench may have been lousy, but the rocket’s flight ...