Failure of Chinese rocket launch carrying communications satellite

A Chinese rocket carrying a communications satellite failed to launch, according to state media, which attributed the failure to a “flight path anomaly,” while reports and video footage indicated that the spacecraft exploded in mid-air.

The official Xinhua News Agency reported a rare failure in the launch of a Long March 7 rocket from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in Hainan province, southern China, on Monday at 8:02 p.m. local time (12:02 GMT).

Xinhua added that an “anomaly” was recorded during the flight of the rocket, which was carrying the Zhongxing-4B communications satellite.

The agency noted that an investigation is underway to determine the causes of the failure.

In a post on Instagram, Singapore-based Channel NewsAsia reported that the rocket had exploded, sharing footage from the launch site showing stunned crowds watching a fireball in the sky.

A video posted by a social media account a few hours after the launch showed the rocket exploding and catching fire about 85 seconds after liftoff, leaving a cloud of gray smoke as debris rained down to the ground.

Beijing has poured billions of dollars into its space program in recent years as part of its efforts to achieve what President Xi Jinping calls the country’s “space dream.”