Space Pioneer has completed the assembly and final testing of the Tianlong-3 Y2 rocket. The company is currently preparing for the next flight, which is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2026, depending on the launch window.
The previous mission, involving the Tianlong-3 Y1 rocket, took place on April 3, 2026, at the Dongfeng Commercial Aerospace Innovation Test Zone. The flight failed due to an anomaly during the mission.
The investigation identified the cause of the failure as liquid oxygen leakage during flight. The leaked oxygen was drawn into the rocket's base, causing secondary combustion of the first-stage engine exhaust. This damaged the heat shield structure, allowing hot gases to enter the tail compartment and trigger a fire.
Space Pioneer confirmed that the root cause has been addressed through design improvements and ground testing. Experts have verified that the failure mechanism is understood and that the corrective measures are effective for future flights.
