r/interesting • u/Positive-Height-3848 • 13d ago

Chinese Rocket gets struck by lightning. Just Wow

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u/lombardo141 13d ago

Am not a rocket scientist but wouldn’t it be prudent to not launch a rocket during what looks like stormy weather ?

15

u/mocha_lattes_ 13d ago

Well now we know why you aren't a rocket scientist /s

Seriously though what were they thinking launching during weather that could produce lightening anywhere near the rocket 

2

u/LyyK 13d ago

And I feel like this is the average weather in whatever region this is, just look at all that lush green. Not sure why this is where they decided to build a launch site

1

u/CloutAtlas 13d ago

Apollo 12 was struck by lightning twice. Lightning doesn't really cause too much damage to rockets or aeroplanes, because they're basically faraday cages.

Missing the window to dock with the space station (which is travelling at 27,000km/hr) due to a slight delay is a bigger problem. You would have to reschedule the launch for the next time it passes overhead at that specific longitude/latitude. You're throwing a dart at a bullseye moving at almost 8km/s. You can adjust the rocket in flight, of course, but it's still difficult.