A Chinese Long March 3B rocket survived a lightning strike seconds after liftoff from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan province [1, 2].

The incident highlights the vulnerability of aerospace vehicles to extreme weather during the critical initial phase of ascent. While rockets are designed to withstand various stresses, a direct strike during ignition presents a significant risk to vehicle stability and payload integrity.

The rocket was operated by the China National Space Administration (CNSA) and encountered a thunderstorm in the launch area [1, 2]. The electrical discharge hit the vehicle shortly after ignition, creating a visible flash in launch footage [2]. Despite the strike, the rocket remained on course and continued its climb into the atmosphere [1, 2].

"The Long March 3B rocket was struck by lightning just seconds after liftoff, but the vehicle remained stable and continued its ascent," a CNSA spokesperson said [1].

Video footage of the event shows a bright flash hitting the rocket shortly after it left the pad, a reporter from the Mehr News Agency said [2]. There were zero injuries reported following the event [1].

Reports regarding the aftermath of the launch are conflicting. While the CNSA indicated the vehicle remained stable, other reports suggest the event may have caused complications. An author from The Sun said the launch left a massive cloud of debris that could threaten other satellites [3]. This contradicts the official narrative of a stable ascent and suggests the strike may have caused structural fragmentation, despite the rocket continuing its flight path.

The launch occurred on July 23, 2026 [1].

“The Long March 3B rocket was struck by lightning just seconds after liftoff, but the vehicle remained stable”

The discrepancy between official CNSA reports of a stable ascent and reports of resulting space debris suggests a potential partial failure or structural compromise. If the lightning strike caused the release of debris, it increases the risk of collisions for other assets in low Earth orbit, demonstrating that surviving a strike does not necessarily mean the mission was a total success.