Failed Taiwanese Satellite Launch: Rocket Crashes, Sparking Panic
Footage circulated online shows the rocket launched from a test base deviating from its path and crashing in an unpopulated area. The country's authorities stated that the missile's self-destruct mechanism was activated according to the emergency plan after it deviated from its trajectory.
Dramatic footage circulated online shows the moment the first test launch of a Taiwan-made satellite launch vehicle went out of control. The rocket was launched on Wednesday from a test base in the south of the island, deviated from its path towards the mountains, and crashed in an unpopulated area. Residents of nearby villages, who thought it was a missile fired at them, can be heard screaming in panic in the video. No one was injured.
The launch was carried out at 06:00 local time from the Jiupeng test base in Pingtung County, which is operated by the government institute responsible for weapons development in Taiwan. Initial reports identified the object as a missile, and the institute had to clarify that it was an experimental satellite launch vehicle.
"There was a deviation from the initial trajectory, so the self-destruct mechanism was activated in accordance with the original emergency plan, with the impact point controlled within the planned safety zone," the institute stated.
The Pingtung County government demanded an immediate investigation and explanation from the institute, and called for a freeze on missile tests and exercises in the area until the cause of the malfunction is determined. The county also requested to re-examine launch procedures and ensure that future flight paths avoid indigenous minority settlements and other residential areas. "It is forbidden to endanger the lives and property of the residents," the county stated.
A source close to the test told the "South China Morning Post" newspaper that ground systems detected within the first seconds that the rocket was deviating from its path and spinning abnormally. According to him, it may be a malfunction in the stabilization system or engines, or a problem with the rocket's weight distribution. The institute stated that the data collected during the flight will be used to correct the design.
The multi-stage launcher is solid-fuel powered and was designed to carry small payloads to an altitude of more than 500 km and deploy several satellites at once. The same technology can also serve as a basis for use as a ballistic missile. The test was conducted against the backdrop of a broad military buildup effort: last week, the Taiwan government proposed the largest defense budget in the island's history, an increase of 18% that will bring defense spending above 3% of GDP for the first time. All this while Taipei prepares for the possibility of a Chinese military action to capture the island, which has functioned as a de facto state since 1949, when supporters of the Republic of China fled there.
