Space Pioneer Clears Tianlong-3 RMB 1 Flight Failure After Review

On September 11, 2026, Space Pioneer released a statement on the closure review of the Tianlong-3 RMB 1 launch vehicle flight test mission. The cause of the Tianlong-3 RMB 1 flight failure was identified as follows: liquid oxygen discharged during flight was drawn to the base of the rocket, causing secondary combustion of first-stage engine turbine exhaust at the base. This produced ablation and deformation at the connecting structure of the base heat shield, allowing high-temperature engine gas to enter the first-stage tail compartment and ignite a fire inside, resulting in abnormal rocket flight. The corrective measures were verified through ground tests and can meet flight test requirements.

At 12:17 on April 3, 2026, the Tianlong-3 RMB 1 launch vehicle carried out its maiden flight test mission at the Dongfeng Commercial Aerospace Innovation Test Zone. After the malfunction occurred, Space Pioneer established a closure review working group and, following aerospace standards, conducted retrospective analysis of telemetry data, test simulation, and troubleshooting verification. The working group carried out a systematic review of product acceptance records, test and launch data, flight telemetry and tracking data, rocket operating status, and flight anomalies, and successively completed tests including fault reproduction and verification of corrective measures, systematically validating the failure mode, mechanism, and corrective measures. The entire closure review process was reported in parallel to higher-level regulatory authorities and relevant parties.

Space Pioneer will prepare for the rocket's reflight and improve quality management, strengthen risk control across the entire rocket and full process, advance design quality improvement and penetrating supply chain quality management, and enhance launch and flight reliability to ensure the success of the Tianlong-3 reflight mission. Tianlong-3 is a high-capacity reusable liquid launch vehicle independently developed by Space Pioneer to meet the needs of large-scale satellite internet constellation deployment. Its performance is benchmarked against the internationally mainstream SpaceX Falcon 9 and can achieve constellation launch of 36 satellites in a single mission. In November 2025, Space Pioneer completed full-process test verification of the "36 satellites in one launch" capability; in February 2026, it passed the pre-acceptance review for the Jiuquan satellite testing and launch technical facility.

Space Pioneer was founded in 2019. In October 2025, it completed IPO tutoring registration with the Jiangsu Regulatory Bureau of the China Securities Regulatory Commission, with CITIC Securities as the tutoring institution. The company has completed multiple rounds of financing, the most recent being nearly RMB 2.5 billion raised in Pre-D and D rounds completed in October 2025, with investors including Guoyu Gaohua, Jigang Group, Orient Asset, Shenwan Investment, and Bank of China Asset. The company has built a full-industry-chain layout combining independent rocket development, scaled manufacturing, and dedicated launch pads, forming an aerospace intelligent manufacturing system centered on the Beijing rocket R&D center, Xi'an propulsion R&D center, Henan rocket engine intelligent manufacturing and propulsion test center, Suzhou rocket intelligent manufacturing base, Wuxi rocket intelligent manufacturing base, Jinan rocket intelligent manufacturing base, and Jiuquan satellite launch base, with an annual manufacturing capacity of 50 Tianlong-series liquid rockets and 500 Tianhuo-series liquid rocket engines.