Intelsat 708

Intelsat 708, a telecommunications satellite constructed by the American company Space Systems/Loral for Intelsat, was destroyed on 15 February 1996, when the Long March 3B carrier rocket failed during its launch from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center (XSLC) in China. The launch vehicle deviated from its intended trajectory shortly after liftoff and struck a hillside near the main gate of the XSLC, causing damage to buildings on the launch centre's territory and flattening Mayelin Village. The incident resulted in the deaths of at least six people; together with Apstar 2, a similar failed launch at Xichang, it is the deadliest accident of the Chinese space program. The accident investigation identified a failure in the guidance system of the Long March 3B. After the Intelsat 708 accident, the Long March rockets did not experience another mission failure until 2011. However, the participation of American companies in the Intelsat 708 and Apstar 2 investigations caused political controversy in the United States. A U.S. government investigation found that the information in the accident investigation report had been illegally transferred to China. Satellite technology was subsequently reclassified as a munition and placed under ITAR restrictions, blocking its export to China. In 2002, Space Systems/Loral paid US$20 million to settle charges of violating export controls.