China's Long March 7A Rocket Explodes Minutes After Launch

One of China’s most used rockets, the Long March 7A, exploded a little more than a minute after lifting off on Monday evening, local time. The medium-lift rocket’s payload was classified, but it was believed to be a military communications satellite. The rocket’s liftoff from Wenchang Space Launch Site appeared to be nominal, but publicly captured videos showed that the rocket’s first stage exploded about 1 minute and 20 seconds into flight. The Long March 7A rocket was developed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation and is operated by the state’s space agency. As of Monday night in China, state officials have not commented on the explosion. Was it an engine issue? Based on the timing of the explosion, it occurred during the flight of the first stage of the vehicle, likely around the time of maximum dynamic pressure as the rocket accelerated through the lower atmosphere. It’s possible that the vehicle’s flight was ended by on-board ordnance known as a “flight termination system,” which ignites when the vehicle veers off course. China’s state-operated launch industry has had considerable success in the last half-decade as it has grown its annual launch total to 50 or more flights per year. During that time, it has only suffered a handful of launch failures. Due to the uncertainty surrounding the cause of Monday’s failure, the significance of the problem is difficult to ascertain. Given the closed nature of China’s state-operated space program, it may never be clear what caused the rocket to explode. Broader implications if so However, if the cause is due to the first stage’s main engine, the YF-100, there could be broader implications for China’s space program. The YF-100 is by far the most commonly used rocket engine in China’s space program. The engine, fueled by liquid oxygen and kerosene, has a thrust of 270,000 pounds at sea level. It has powered the Long March 7 and newer Long March 7A variant for the last decade. This rocket performs a variety of tasks for China’s space program, from communications satellite launches to boosting the Tianzhou cargo spacecraft that ferries supplies to the Chinese space station in low-Earth orbit. The broader concern for China’s space program is that the YF-100 engine also powers other rockets. As many as nine Chinese rockets, from the Long March 5 to Long March 8 vehicles, used various amounts of YF-100 engines. Even new rockets, such as the Long March 10, use modified variants of the YF-100 technology. May delay Chang’e 7 If this issue is engine-related, it could delay one of China’s most important launches for the rest of the year. The country’s ambitious Chang’e 7 robotic mission to the Moon was due to launch on a Long March 5 rocket about two weeks from now. That rocket’s boosters are powered by YF-100 engines. The Chang’e 7 mission is an important component of China’s lunar program as the vehicle combines an orbiter, lander, rover, and mini-hopper. It is bound for the area near Shackleton crater, in the vicinity of the South Pole of the Moon. It would be the first rover by any country ever sent to explore this region. Both China and NASA are racing to establish operations at the potentially resource-rich South Pole of the Moon.