# China Long March 7A rocket launch failure > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/china-long-march-7a-rocket-launch-failure > Updated: 2026-08-15T03:14:57.000Z. Sources: 65. Developments: 2. On August 10, 2026, a Chinese Long March 7A rocket experienced a flight anomaly approximately 85 seconds into its ascent from the Wenchang Space Launch Site in Hainan province. The resulting explosion destroyed both the launch vehicle and its payload, the ChinaSat-4B (Zhongxing-4B) communications satellite. Subsequent reports indicate the failure occurred during the high-pressure Max-Q phase, with preliminary assessments suggesting a possible engine malfunction or structural failure. This incident marks the second failure of the Long March 7A since 2020 and China’s fourth orbital launch failure of the year. The accident has raised concerns regarding the stability of China’s rapidly expanding space program. Because the Long March 7A shares components with other major rockets, such as the Long March 5 used for lunar missions, the failure may necessitate the suspension of upcoming projects, including the Chang’e 7 lunar exploration mission. Experts have noted that the pressure to increase launch frequency to compete with international entities may be impacting technical stability, a situation potentially complicated by ongoing political purges within the aerospace and military sectors. ## Timeline ### 2026-08-15: Long March 7A rocket explodes during satellite launch A Long March 7A rocket exploded 85 seconds after launch on August 10, destroying the Zhongxing 4B satellite. The failure highlights declining launch success rates and potential systemic risks in China's spaceer 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/long-march-7a-rocket-explodes-during-satellite-launch ### 2026-08-10: China Long March 7A rocket fails during launch, destroying satellite A Chinese Long March 7A rocket exploded approximately 85 seconds after liftoff from Wenchang, destroying the ChinaSat-4B communications satellite. An investigation into the flight anomaly is underway. 64 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/long-march-7a-rocket-explodes-shortly-after-liftoff-in-china --- Cite as: China Long March 7A rocket launch failure. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/china-long-march-7a-rocket-launch-failure