chinas tianlong 3 rocket broke free

China's Tianlong-3 rocket broke free from its tether on Sunday during an engine test, triggering an unscheduled launch that caused the spacecraft to crash to the ground, the manufacturer confirmed. Beijing Tianbing Technology, also known as Space Pioneer, tested the first-stage rocket engine at the Comprehensive Test Center in Gongyi City, central China's Henan Province. Viewers posted several videos of the event on social media. The clip shows a rocket taking off with flames coming out of its nozzle. Seconds later, the engine suddenly shuts down and the rocket begins to lose altitude, still burning, leaving a plume of black smoke. The object eventually crashes to the ground, causing a massive explosion, shaking the nearby area and sending a huge cloud of smoke and flames into the air.