China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT)

China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT)

中国运载火箭技术研究院

PRESIDENT: Wu Yansheng

Vice-President: Wang Zongyin

Website: http://www.calt.com.cn

OTHER NAMES: First Academy of the China Aerospace Corporation (CASC); Chinese Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology; China Carrier Rocket Technology Research Institute; China Launching Vehicle Technology Research Institute; Aerospace 1st Academy

CALT was established in 1957. CALT is one of the nine design academies under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC). It employs 27,000 personnel in 13 research institutes and six factories.

CALT is China's largest and most important organization for the research, development and production of space launch vehicles, liquid-fueled surface-to-surface missiles, and solid-fueled surface-to-surface and submarine-launched missiles, among which is the Long March family of space launch vehicles. CALT produces the DF-1 and DF-2 short-range ballistic missiles, the DF-3 medium-range ballistic missile, the DF-4 intermediate-range ballistic missile, and the DF-5 intercontinental ballistic missile.

The CZ-1, CZ-2, and CZ-3 families of space launch vehicles are also produced by CALT.

CALT was established as a civilian corporate successor to the Beijing Wanyuan Industry Corporation (BWYIC). It assisted BWYIC in developing the M-series ballistic missiles.

CALT was sanctioned in August 1993 as a subsidiary of CASC by the United States for Chinese missile-related sales to Pakistan.

The following organizations are under CALT:

"200 Factory"

"210 Factory"

"211 Factory"

"7107 Factory"

BEIJING INSTITUTE OF ASTRONAUTICAL SYSTEMS ENGINEERING, "1st Planning Department"

BEIJING INSTITUTE OF AUTOMATIC CONTROL, "12th Research Institute"

Changfeng Electromechanical Technology Design Academy, or "2nd Academy"

BEIJING INSTITUTE OF CONTROL DEVICES, "13th Research Institute"

BEIJING INSTITUTE OF ELECTROMECHANICAL SYSTEMS ENGINEERING, "4th Planning Department"

BEIJING INSTITUTE OF LIQUID ROCKET ENGINES, "11th Research Institute"

Shaanxi Lingnan Machinery Corporation , or "067 Base"

BEIJING INSTITUTE OF SPECIAL ENGINEERING MACHINERY, "15th Research Institute"

BEIJING INSTITUTE OF STRUCTURE AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING, "702nd Research Institute"

BEIJING RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGY, "703rd Research Institute"

BEIJING RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF TELEMETRY (BRIT), "704th Research Institute"

BEIJING SPECIAL ELECTROMECHANICAL INSTITUTE, "14th Research Institute"

Chinese Academy of Engineering Physics (CAEP)

China Daily reported in May 1998 that the Beijing Research Institute of Experimental Technology, an institute under CALT (not listed above), was the location for advanced experimental equipment, as well as for facilities to produce, store and transport low-temperature rocket propellants. According to the Institute's director, Zheng Jiwen, the Institute has successfully conducted simulated ground and high-altitude tests on rocket motors by adapting conventional or low-temperature fuel, and performed experiments on whole systems and parts of rockets and satellites. There have also been repeated simulated experiments on the high-altitude ignition of engines controlling the altitudes of satellites, and on orbit-shifting engines, Zheng said. He claimed that the institute has now mastered the world's most advanced technologies in collecting and processing computerized data, which can help provide accurate, reliable and real-time data for the experiments.

[Sources: "Rocket Research Spurs Space Technology," China Daily, 2 May 1998; Michael Mecham, "Long March Successful In Crucial Asiasat-2 Launch," Aviation Week & Space Technology, 4 December 1995, p. 25; Holly Porteous, "China's View Of Strategic Weapons," Jane's Intelligence Review, March 1996, p. 136; Hua Di, in Potter and Jencks, p. 165; Pan Zhaohan, Bu Yuting, and Sun Xuezhong, "China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology," Aerospace China, Winter 1992, pp. 14-16; Major Mark A. Stokes, China's Strategic Modernization: Implications for US National Security, October 1997, Appendix One; Yan Kong, "China's Arms Trade Bureaucracy," Jane's Intelligence Review, February 1994, p. 80; Richard W. Fieldhouse, Chinese Nuclear Weapons, pp. 58-59; Risk Report, May 1995, p. 6; Air and Cosmos/Aviation International (Paris), 25 October 1996, in FBIS-CST-96-020, 25 October 1996.CALT company literature; "Overview of CASC and its Institutes," Beijing Zhongguo Hangtian in Chinese, 1 October 2002; Chinese Defence Today, 26 November 2003.]

Updated 11/26/2003

This material is produced independently for NTI by the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of and has not been independently verified by NTI or its directors, officers, employees, agents. Copyright © 2007 by MIIS.