Second- Or Third-Stage Anomaly Possible Cause Of The Accident

A Chinese Long March 4C rocket launched Wednesday with an Earth-observation satellite on board, but the payload was not delivered to its intended orbit, nor was there any announcement of success from the Chinese government.

Spaceflight 101 reports that about 16 hours after launch, photos of debris from the first stage in the area where it was expected to fall back to earth, indicating the first stage performed nominally during the launch. Further downrange was the wreckage of the payload fairing that protects the satellite during launch, also where it was expected to be. Analysts say that finding that debris where it was expected suggests that the flight proceeded as planned until late in the second stage burn, or during the third stage burn.

The loss of the vehicle is the first launch failure for China this year.

According to Spaceflight 101, if the failure occurred during the third stage burn, any remaining debris would likely have fallen into the ocean, perhaps traveling as far as Antarctica depending on where in the rocket's trajectory the failure occurred.

(Image of Long March 4B rocket provided by China National Space Administration)

FMI: www.cnsa.gov.cn