Posted: Fri, Feb 5, 2021, 6:22 PM ET (2322 GMT)
A Chinese commercial launch failed early Monday. The Hyperbola-1 rocket by iSpace launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center at about 3 am EST (0800 GMT), but malfunctioned during ascent, according to posts on Chinese social media. The launch was not announced in advance beyond an airspace closure notice a few hours ahead of the launch, and iSpace has not yet confirmed the launch failure. The launch failure comes 18 months after iSpace became the first nominally private Chinese launch company to achieve orbit with the first Hyperbola-1 rocket, although images suggest significant changes in design of the rocket between the two launches.

Related Links:

•  SpaceNews article
•  NASASpaceFlight.com article