Science, Discovery, Tech and Environment · 12 August 2026
China's Long March 7A rocket explodes after launch
Exam-focused facts from the 12 August 2026 current affairs briefing.
Key facts
- China's Long March 7A rocket exploded seconds after liftoff from the Wenchang space launch site in Hainan.
- The rocket was carrying the ChinaSat-4B (Zhongxing-4B) satellite on the mission.
- The rocket lifted off at 8:02 pm Beijing time (1202 GMT) on Monday.
- Eye witnesses observed a bright flash high in the night sky followed by multiple glowing fragments after launch.
- State news agency Xinhua said the cause of the failure is being ascertained.
- This was the first known Long March 7A failure since the rocket's maiden flight in March 2020.
- The Long March 7A rocket returned to service in 2021 and subsequently completed a series of successful missions.