China has reported that the launch of the ChinaSat-4B satellite aboard the Long March 7A rocket failed on Monday, following a “flight anomaly” shortly after its takeoff from the Wenchang Space Launch Site, according to Reuters.
The rocket lifted off at 8:02 PM local time in Beijing (12:02 PM GMT), as detailed by the state news agency Xinhua, which stated that the cause of the incident is currently under investigation.
Witnesses quoted by Reuters observed a bright light in the night sky after the launch, followed by what appeared to be multiple glowing fragments.
Video footage shared online suggests that the rocket exploded shortly after its launch.
This mission marks the first known failure of the Long March 7A rocket since its inaugural flight in March 2020. The rocket was reintroduced into service in 2021 and has successfully completed several missions since then.
