Space & Satellites
China Experiences Rare Dual Rocket Launch Failures in One Day
On January 17, 2026, China’s Long March 3B and Galactic Energy’s Ceres-2 rockets both failed, impacting classified and commercial satellites.
This article summarizes reporting by the South China Morning Post and official statements from CASC and Galactic Energy. The original SCMP report may be paywalled; this article summarizes publicly available elements and public remarks.
On Saturday, January 17, 2026, China’s rapidly expanding space sector suffered a significant and rare setback, experiencing two separate launch failures within a span of approximately 12 hours. The incidents, which involved both a veteran state-owned vehicle and a debuting commercial rocket, have been dubbed “Black Saturday” on Chinese social media platforms.
According to reporting by the South China Morning Post (SCMP), these twin failures are viewed by observers as symptoms of the industry’s growing pains as it pushes for an unprecedented launch cadence. The failures halted a long streak of successes for the state sector and marked a stumbling block for one of the country’s leading private space firms.
The two failures occurred at different launch sites and involved vastly different hardware, and risk, currently present in the Chinese aerospace sector.
The first incident occurred at 12:55 AM Beijing Time at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. The Long March 3B (CZ-3B), operated by the state-owned China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), failed to deliver its payload, the classified Shijian-32 satellite, into orbit.
Official statements from CASC indicate that the rocket performed normally during its first two stages. However, a malfunction in the third-stage booster prevented the satellite from reaching its intended orbit. This failure is particularly notable because the Long March 3B is considered a “workhorse” of China’s orbital fleet. Before this event, the vehicle had maintained a success streak lasting over five years, with its last recorded failure occurring in April 2020.
Less than 12 hours later, at 12:08 PM Beijing Time, the private commercial sector suffered its own loss. The Ceres-2, a new solid-propellant rocket developed by Beijing-based Galactic Energy, failed during its maiden flight from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.
Galactic Energy confirmed via a public statement that the rocket suffered an anomaly shortly after liftoff. The payload included six commercial satellites, notably the Lilac-3, a student-developed microsatellite from the Harbin Institute of Technology. The company issued an apology and stated that an investigation is currently underway. This failure contrasts sharply with the company’s previous success with the smaller Ceres-1 rocket. The timing of these failures has sparked discussion regarding the pressure placed on China’s space industry. According to the South China Morning Post, observers suggest these events are part of the sector’s growing pains.
China executed a record-breaking number of launches in 2025, and the 2026 schedule is reportedly even more aggressive, aiming to support major national projects such as the Chang’e 7 lunar mission. Experts cited in reports suggest that the systemic strain of maintaining such a high operational tempo may be impacting quality control processes, even for mature systems like the Long March 3B.
While launch failures are an inherent risk in spaceflight, the simultaneous failure of a legacy state rocket and a private commercial rocket on the same day is statistically anomalous. At AirPro News, we note that the failure of the Long March 3B is likely the more concerning of the two for Chinese officials. The Ceres-2 failure can be attributed to the inherent risks of a maiden flight and the “fail fast” iteration model adopted by private firms. However, the Long March 3B is a mature system; its failure suggests that supply chain or quality assurance fatigue may be setting in as the state demands higher launch frequencies to meet 2026 goals.
What was the “Black Saturday” event? What satellites were lost? Does this affect China’s 2026 space goals?
China’s Space Program Hits “Black Saturday” with Rare Double Failure
The Incidents: A Veteran and a Debutant
Failure 1: Long March 3B Stumbles
Failure 2: Ceres-2 Maiden Flight Crash
Industry Context: The Cost of Speed?
AirPro News Analysis
Frequently Asked Questions
“Black Saturday” refers to January 17, 2026, when China suffered two rocket launch failures in a single day involving the Long March 3B and the Ceres-2.
The state launch lost the Shijian-32, a classified experimental satellite. The commercial launch lost six satellites, including the Lilac-3, a student-developed research satellite.
While investigations are underway, the Long March 3B is a critical vehicle. A lengthy grounding could impact the schedule for other missions, though the Chinese space program has historically shown resilience and the ability to return to flight quickly.
Sources
Photo Credit: Xinhua