What’s new: Three employees of LandSpace Technology Co. Ltd. suffered minor injuries during a blast test on Monday, the rocket-maker told Caixin, denying rumors of a major explosion at its Shanghai testing site.
LandSpace dismissed social media speculation of an explosion at an industrial park in Songjiang district, where a loud bang was heard on Monday evening, causing the windows of nearby buildings to shake and frightening residents.
But the noise was a normal aerospace storage tank blast test conducted by the Shanghai Spaceflight Precision Machinery Institute, LandSpace said in a written response to Caixin Tuesday. The test caused minor glass damage and slight injuries to three workers, the company said.
According to a hospital intake report circulated online — appearing to be from Songjiang District Central Hospital — the employees suffered hand injuries and head trauma.
The background: The incident comes just over a month after LandSpace successfully launched its second rocket powered by a mixture of liquid oxygen and methane. In July, the Beijing-based startup became the first company in the world to launch such a rocket.
The Shanghai Spaceflight Precision Machinery Institute is part of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp., the main contractor for China’s space program. It has been involved in the development of several of the country’s rockets and missiles.
Contact reporter Wang Xintong (xintongwang@caixin.com) and editor Jonathan Breen (jonathanbreen@caixin.com)
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