A Long March 7A rocket broke apart shortly after liftoff Monday, destroying a communications satellite and ending China’s latest orbital mission. Rocket fails early in flight China’s state news agency Xinhua confirmed the failure several hours after liftoff. Rare setback for China The accident marks the 18th Long March 7A mission since the rocket debuted in 2020. The 60-meter rocket has become a key part of China’s launch fleet. Pressure on China’s launch tempo Monday’s failure also interrupts an unusually rapid launch schedule.