A Chinese space company announced on Sunday that it inadvertently launched its Tianlong-3 rocket during a test, resulting in the vehicle crashing into a nearby mountainside.

Beijing-based Tianbing Aerospace Technology explained in a statement that they were conducting a first-stage test of the rocket’s power system when a “structural failure” caused the Tianlong-3 to lift off unexpectedly and separate from its launchpad.

Had the test proceeded as planned, the Tianlong-3 would have remained stationary on the launchpad while its engines were tested.

Several residents of Gongyi in Henan province captured videos of the accidental launch. The footage shows the rocket ascending and trailing black smoke before crashing and exploding in a fireball.

Tianbing’s statement confirmed, “The rocket body disintegrated after falling into the mountain.”

Local authorities reported that the explosion caused a fire in a remote area, away from residential zones, and that there were no injuries.

The Tianlong-3, designed to deploy satellites into orbit, is a liquid-propellant rocket that Tianbing describes as “comparable to SpaceX’s Falcon 9.”

According to Tianbing, the Tianlong-3 can launch with a mass of 590 tons, similar to the Falcon 9’s 605 tons. It is also designed for reusability, capable of up to 10 trips.

In April 2023, Tianbing launched another reusable rocket, the Tianlong-2, which uses coal-based kerosene.

With its nine engines, the Tianlong-3 is being promoted by Tianbing as a significant advancement for China’s space industry.

“This is the most powerful power system test of any carrier rocket currently under development in the country, and it is three times more potent than any previous test of the largest thrust in China’s aerospace industry,” stated Tianbing.

China opened its space industry to private companies in 2014, leading to a surge of investment in aerospace technology, including reusable rockets, which SpaceX has championed as crucial for enhancing humanity’s presence in space.

Many Chinese netizens reacted to Sunday’s accidental launch by comparing the failure to the early issues SpaceX encountered when testing and launching its Falcon rockets.

“Musk’s Falcon 9 also experienced many explosions in the beginning. If all nine units of Tianlong-3 were ignited in parallel this time, it can be considered a 70% success,” one blogger commented on Weibo, China’s equivalent of X.

The incident on Sunday occurred just days after Chinese President Xi Jinping urged the nation’s science sector to collaborate more closely with the state and intensify its competition with Western technological advancements.

“We must enhance our sense of urgency. We must increase our efforts to innovate and to secure the leading position in science and technology competition and future development,” Xi stated on Tuesday.