China Loses a Long March 3 Rocket.

China was attempting to launch a Long March 3B rocket with an Indonesian commercial satellite when the third stage failed. This is notable for two reasons. First off, the 3rd stage was the same as what failed on the Long March 7 prior this year. The third stage is the same hardware for both. This would suggest there is a nontrivial problem in the manufacturing.

None that is super notable, Everyone loses rockets periodically. Sometimes there is a spate of them. After the loss of the Challenger, several American rockets went kaboom all within months of each other. Rocketry is the riskiest endeavor there is. or just about.

However, the fireball from the failed launch was seen from Guam. It was pretty spectacular.



The comments were...amusing. However, the again in the commentary is interesting in and of itself for other reasons.

www.nasaspaceflight.com...
spacenews.com...

a reply to: anzha

Desperately trying to get something important up there and took a risk with an untested rocket perhaps.

Similar to "The Martian" scenario.

Sounds like panic at a time when the world is panicking.

And don't they have more important things to be doing right now?

"We didn't lose it. We know exactly where it is. There's a part over here, and one over there, and ..."

a reply to: anzha

Extra points for the Credence Clearwater Revival background music with the video ……..

a reply to: nerbot

No rush. Just normal operations. This was a satellite launch for the Indonesians. China used to do it for the US, too, until the Hughes sat incident. They just have a bad batch of third stages for whatever reason. These were manufactured probably between October to November, if I am not too far off with my speculation.

originally posted by: firerescue
a reply to: anzha

Extra points for the Credence Clearwater Revival background music with the video ……..

Yeah, I was gonna compliment the background music, as well.

I was blown away when I learned those guys were from California. I always thought they'd hailed from the deep south-east.

Oops ... Thread drift warning. Get back on topic, people.

a reply to: anzha

The music in the 2nd video sounded like Credence Clear Water Revival.

We shot it down with a particle beam as retaliation for them wrecking our stock market

a reply to: anzha

Fireworks !!

The Chinese were always good at it...

a reply to: CharlesT

Holy crap guys, it probably is Credence Clear Water Revival. Guam is an AMERICAN territory after all. yeesh.