China’s effort to compete with SpaceX suffered a setback after its powerful Tianlong 3 rocket failed during a launch attempt on Friday, according to The South China Morning Post. The rocket, developed by Beijing based firm Space Pioneer, lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre at 12.17 pm local time. However, the company later confirmed that a flight anomaly occurred, leading to mission failure. The exact cause is still under investigation.
According to SCMP, Tianlong 3 has been designed as China’s answer to the widely used Falcon 9. The 72 metre tall rocket can carry up to 22 tonnes into low Earth orbit and is capable of launching 36 satellites in a single mission.
Watch the video here:
Launch failure 🇨🇳🚀🛰️
Qianfan | Space Pioneer | April 03 | 0400 UTC
Unfortunately, the maiden launch of Space Pioneer’s Tianlong-3🚀 failed to reach orbit.
In the footage, you see a small explosion in the engine bay at 33 seconds. pic.twitter.com/Hq66rxREP1— Space Intelligence (@SpaceIntel101) April 3, 2026
The rocket plays a key role in China’s plans to build large satellite networks to rival Starlink. So far, only 108 satellites have been launched for the Qianfan project, far below its target of around 1,300 by next year.
Like Falcon 9, Tianlong 3 uses liquid oxygen and kerosene fuel and is designed to be reusable. Its first stage includes landing legs and grid fins, with a goal of flying up to 10 times.
The programme has already faced setbacks. In 2024, a test rocket accidentally lifted off during a ground test and crashed, though no casualties were reported. Engineers later carried out more than 100 upgrades to improve safety.
China is pushing to expand its satellite presence, with plans for tens of thousands of satellites in orbit. However, SpaceX currently leads the race with over 10,000 satellites already deployed.
Experts say the failure highlights the technical challenges China faces as it tries to match global leaders in reusable rocket technology.
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