The company blamed the accident on a “structural fault,” and state media reported no casualties.
Since then, despite Chinese censorship, a growing number of videos have been posted on social media showing burning rocket parts, debris from the country’s aggressive launch programme, falling dangerously close to civilian infrastructure.
“Launch failures are nothing new,” said Chris Quilty, founder of space-research firm Quilty Analytics. A quick YouTube search turns up videos of locals standing around charred rocket parts in rice fields and near villages.
He added: “The scary thing is that they use dangerous solid fuel, and they launch them inland, not from the coastline like other non-Communist countries, so shrapnel falls into the ocean instead of on the people.”
Many of China’s major launch sites, such as Xichang, are located inland, while more modern sites, such as Wenchang, are built in remote locations along the coast.
Chinese rockets have historically relied on dangerous fuels such as nitrogen tetroxide, liquid hydrazine, and “red fuming nitric acid.” These compounds make very effective propellants, but they are also highly toxic and carcinogenic. The fuel burns a distinctive dirty reddish-brown color.
Chinese rocket fuel dates back to technology used in Cold War-era intercontinental ballistic missiles. The fuel itself is relatively stable and reliable, can be easily stored and does not need to be “chilled” before launch.
“Storage is a key advantage,” says Jack James Marlow, head of engineering at Scottish rocket company Skyrora, because it simplifies launch vehicles and ground infrastructure.
But the by-products can be deadly. “Nitric acid, which produces red smoke, is really dangerous,” says Rob Adlard of the British rocket company GravityLab. “We’ve seen those pictures and we’re not sure what’s going to happen.” [from China] And I think, “Oh my God, I can’t believe they’re doing this.”
“Recently there was a photo that went viral of a booster going off near a village and locals taking photos with it. In fact, if you’re anywhere near nitric acid in the West you’ll be wearing full protective gear.”
