Chinese rocket carrying satellite explodes seconds after launch

A Long March 7A rocket exploded about 85 seconds after liftoff from Wenchang, producing a massive fireball and destroying the Zhongxing‑4B communications satellite — videos caught onlookers gasping.
It was a rare failure for the Long March 7A — the rocket’s 18th mission and only its second failure (the maiden flight failed in 2020).
The mishap delayed other launches and underscores China’s push (and competition with the U.S.) on reusable‑rocket technology — prompted quips like Elon Musk’s “Rockets are insanely hard.”