The Untold Story of the Intelsat 708 Accident

On February 15, 1996, a Chinese Long March 3B rocket carrying the cutting-edge American satellite Intelsat-708 attempted to lift off on its maiden launch. However, it rapidly veered off course and crashed into a hill a few kilometers away.

This incident is not only one of the most spectacular launch accidents caught on film but also one of the most consequential. The failure led to a long-lasting rift between the US and Chinese space industries, resulting in a decoupling of the Chinese space sector. Additionally, it sparked a controversy regarding the death toll.

In this episode, we provide a detailed explanation of the launch's context, how the crash occurred, and the short- and long-term consequences for both the US and China

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00:00 Some context: Intelsat 708 & the Long March 3B
01:30 The 1980s and 1990s: warming US-China relations
02:44 The accident
03:52 What happened, where, and how?
05:16 The controversy on the death toll
06:34 A strong reaction in Washington, D.C.
07:25 The Cox Report
08:43 Short and long-term consequences
10:45 Future prospects for international & Sino-US relations in space

Some great sources for additional reading (English):
https://www.thespacereview.com/articl...
https://www.thespacereview.com/articl...
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/air-sp...

Past CCTV interviews and reports are also a gold mine for details (in Chinese)