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Updated May 2008
Missile Chronology
1935-1969
1935
Qian Xuesen enrolls at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to pursue a master's degree in aeronautical engineering.
— Brian Harvey, The Chinese Space Programme: From Conception to Future Capabilities, (New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1998), p. 2; "Special Report: China's First Manned Space Flight," China View, Xinhua News Agency, 2003, <http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2003-10/15/content_1124549.htm>.
1936
Qian Xuesen enrolls at the California Institute of Technology to pursue a doctorate in aerospace and mathematics.
—Brian Harvey, The Chinese Space Programme: From Conception to Future Capabilities, (New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1998), p. 2; "Special Report: China's First Manned Space Flight," China View, Xinhua News Agency, 2003, <http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2003-10/15/content_1124549.htm>.
1939
Qian Xuesen graduates from the California Institute of Technology with his doctorate in aerospace and mathematics.
—Brian Harvey, The Chinese Space Programme: From Conception to Future Capabilities, (New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1998), Pg. 2; "Special Report: China's First Manned Space Flight," China View, Xinhua News Agency, 2003, <http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2003-10/15/content_1124549.htm>.
May 1945
Qian Xuesen, as a temporary colonel in the United States Air Force, goes to Germany to survey the German rocket program. The trip includes inspecting rocket factories and secret test sites.
—Brian Harvey, The Chinese Space Programme: From Conception to Future Capabilities, (New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1998), p. 3.
5 May 1945
Qian Xuesen meets German rocket engineer Wernher von Braun.
—Brian Harvey, The Chinese Space Programme: From Conception to Future Capabilities, (New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1998), p. 3.
1951
Qian Xuesen is accused of being a communist and arrested during the McCarthy-led anti-communism crusades. His security clearance is revoked and he is put in prison.
—Brian Harvey, The Chinese Space Programme: From Conception to Future Capabilities, (New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1998), p. 3.
1955
Qian Xuesen is deported back to China as part of a prisoner exchange for 74 American Prisoners of War from the Korean War.
—Brian Harvey, The Chinese Space Programme: From Conception to Future Capabilities, (New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1998), p. 4.
1956
Construction commences on a rail line out to Shuangchengzi, the missile test firing range, in Gansu Province, China.
—Robert S. Noris, Andrew S. Burrows, and Richard W. Fieldhouse, Nuclear Weapons Databook: British, French, and Chinese Nuclear Weapons, (New York: Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc., 1994), p. 5.
April 1956
Qian Xuesen begins supervision of the research and development of Chinese missiles, rockets, and spacecraft. A former officer in the U.S. Army, Qian was one of the leading rocket scientists in the United States while working at the California Institute of Technology's Jet Propulsion Lab in Pasadena, California, where he was a co-founder of the lab.
—Robert S. Noris, Andrew S. Burrows, and Richard W. Fieldhouse, Nuclear Weapons Databook: British, French, and Chinese Nuclear Weapons, (New York: Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc., 1994), p. 6.
10 May 1956
Nie Rongzhen issues a paper entitled Preliminary views on Establishing China's missile research to the Central Committee Military Commission. The paper is one of many which outline the future of the Chinese missile program.
—Brian Harvey, The Chinese Space Programme: From Conception to Future Capabilities, (New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1998), p. 4.
26 May 1956
The Central Military Commission, chaired by Zhou Enlai, accepts the reports issued by Nie Rongzhen and orders the establishment of administrative machinery to get work under way on missile and rocket development.
—Brian Harvey, The Chinese Space Programme: From Conception to Future Capabilities, (New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1998), p. 4.
13 September 1956
China purchases two R-1 missiles from the Soviet Union. The R-1 is a copy of the German liquid propellant V-2 missile used during World War II.
—Robert S. Noris, Andrew S. Burrows, and Richard W. Fieldhouse, Nuclear Weapons Databook: British, French, and Chinese Nuclear Weapons, (New York: Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc., 1994), p. 5.
8 October 1956
The Central Committee establishes the Fifth Research Academy of the Ministry of National Defense to develop the space effort. Vice-premier Nie Rongzhen is in charge of the Institute, with Qian Xuesen as its first director. Within the academy, the first Rocket Research Institute is established.
— Brian Harvey, The Chinese Space Programme: From Conception to Future Capabilities, (New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1998), p. 4.
15 October 1957
China and the Soviet Union sign the New Defense Technical Accord. Included in the deal are two Soviet R-2 ballistic missiles, which have a greater range and larger payload than the R-1.
—John Wilson Lewis and Xue Litai, China Builds the Bomb, (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1988), p. 212.
1958
China establishes the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, in Gansu Province. Jiuquan is a launch site for missile and satellite tests.
—"JiuQuan Satellite Launch Centre," China Defense Today, 24 October 2005, <http://www.sinodefence.com/space/facility/jiuquan.asp>.
1 January 1958
China receives two R-2 missiles (U.S. code name SS-2) from Russia. Included with the missiles are missile blueprints, from which China intends to research and develop their own missiles.
—Robert S. Noris, Andrew S. Burrows, Richard W. Fieldhouse, Nuclear Weapons Databook: British, French, and Chinese Nuclear Weapons, (New York: Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc., 1994), p. 6.
21 June 1958
Mao Zedong proclaims that China will have intercontinental missile capabilities within ten years. He delivers his message to the Central Military Commission, to whom he also tells that China will have nuclear and hydrogen bombs within that same time frame.
—Robert S. Noris, Andrew S. Burrows, Richard W. Fieldhouse, Nuclear Weapons Databook: British, French, and Chinese Nuclear Weapons, (New York: Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc., 1994), p. 332.
16 October 1958
The PLA, directed by Nie Rongzhen, establishes the Science and Technology Commission for National Defense. This commission makes resource allocation decisions for the conventional and nuclear weapons programs.
—Robert S. Noris, Andrew S. Burrows, Richard W. Fieldhouse, Nuclear Weapons Databook: British, French, and Chinese Nuclear Weapons, (New York: Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc., 1994), p. 332.
June 1959
The first strategic missile battalion is formed within the Artillery Corps.
—John Wilson Lewis and Xue Litai, China Builds the Bomb, (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1988), p. 215.
19 February 1960
China launches the first rocket designed and manufactured in China. Launched near Shanghai, the rocket only flies 8 meters high before plummeting back to earth.
—"Shenzhou 5-launch: long-cherished dream realized," The People's Daily, 15 October 2003, <http://english.people.com.cn/200310/15/eng20031015_126094.shtml>.
September 1960
China successfully launches a Soviet made R-2 missile.
—Robert S. Noris, Andrew S. Burrows, and Richard W. Fieldhouse, Nuclear Weapons Databook: British, French, and Chinese Nuclear Weapons, (New York: Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc., 1994), p. 6.
5 November 1960
China launches the first Dong Feng-1 (DF-1) missile, the Chinese version of the R-2 or SS-2 missile. The DF-1 was launched from the Jiuquan base in Gansu Province.
—"DF-1" Federation of Atomic Scientists, 10 June 1998, <http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/china/theater/df-1.htm>.
14 November 1960
Development begins on the DF-3. Qian Xuesen leads the project to develop a missile with a range of more than 10,000 km.
—Robert S. Noris, Andrew S. Burrows, and Richard W. Fieldhouse, Nuclear Weapons Databook: British, French, and Chinese Nuclear Weapons, (New York: Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc., 1994), p. 332.
1962
The Cuban Missile Crisis sparks a debate in China regarding the utility of nonstorable fuels in the Chinese missile program. It is believed that such missiles take too long to launch in a rapidly escalating showdown and cannot be held in readiness for long periods of time.
—John Wilson Lewis and Xue Litai, China Builds the Bomb, (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1988), p. 214.
March 1962
The Solid-fuel Rocket Engine Research Institute in the Fifth Academy is opened. Xiao Gan is named the head of the Institute.
—Brian Harvey, The Chinese Space Programme: From Conception to Future Capabilities, (New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1998), p. 25.
21 March 1962
China conducts its first test of the Dong Feng-2 missile. The launch is carried out at Jiuquan launch facility, in Gansu Province. The test is unsuccessful, as the rocket crashes 69 seconds into its mission.
—Brian Harvey, The Chinese Space Programme: From Conception to Future Capabilities, (New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1998), p. 13.
6 December 1962
Two female technicians are killed when 200 kg of solid fuel explodes in a mixer.
—Brian Harvey, The Chinese Space Programme: From Conception to Future Capabilities, (New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1998), p. 25.
1963
Research and development on the 10,000 km. DF-3 ICBM is abandoned. The project suffered a series of setbacks as it was determined to be too ambitious for Chinese manufacturing capabilities at the time.
—Brian Harvey, The Chinese Space Programme: From Conception to Future Capabilities, (New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1998), p. 15.
1963
The DF-1 is abandoned because of the weakness of its engines.
—John Wilson Lewis and Xue Litai, China Builds the Bomb, (Stanford, CA, Stanford University Press, 1988) p. 213.
April 1964
Research and development begins on the Dong Feng-3 (CSS-2). The DF-3 is to be a single stage, liquid fueled missile. It is to be 24 meters long and 2.25 meters in diameter, and weigh 64 tons at lift off. The DF-3 is to be an intermediate range missile with a range of 2,800 km. The Philippines is the initial target of the DF-3.
[Note: Although designated the same name, this DF-3 is a completely different missile than the original DF-3ICBM with a 10,000 km range initially envisioned by Qian Xuesen in 1960 and abandoned in 1963.]
—Robert S. Noris, Andrew S. Burrows, and Richard W. Fieldhouse, Nuclear Weapons Databook: British, French, and Chinese Nuclear Weapons, (New York: Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc., 1994), p. 381; John Wilson Lewis and Xue Litai, China Builds the Bomb, (Stanford, CA, Stanford University Press, 1988) Pg.212-213.
29 June 1964
China conducts a successful test of the Dong Feng-2 surface-to-surface missile at the Jiuquan launching site in Gansu Province.
—"DF-2/CSS-1" Federation of Atomic Scientists, 10 June 1998 <http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/china/theater/df-2.htm>.
12 September 1964
The DF-1 is renamed DF-3. The new designation requires the missile to be developed with a longer range and greater payload.
—Robert S. Noris, Andrew S. Burrows, and Richard W. Fieldhouse, Nuclear Weapons Databook: British, French, and Chinese Nuclear Weapons, (New York: Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc., 1994), p. 333.
4 November 1964
The DF-2 is re-designated the DF-2A, with the intention to increase its range to 1,250 km.
—Robert S. Noris, Andrew S. Burrows, and Richard W. Fieldhouse, Nuclear Weapons Databook: British, French, and Chinese Nuclear Weapons, (New York: Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc., 1994), p. 333.
March 1965
Research and development begins on the Dong-Feng 4 (CSS-3). The DF-4 is to be a two- stage, liquid-fuelled ballistic missile with a range of 4,000 km. It is to carry a single warhead with an estimated yield of 3.3 megatons. Research and development also begins on the Dong Feng-5 (CSS-4). The DF-5 is to be a two-stage, liquid fuelled multi-megaton warhead with a range of more than 13,000 km. The DF-5 is to target the continental United States.
—Robert S. Noris, Andrew S. Burrows, and Richard W. Fieldhouse, Nuclear Weapons Databook: British, French, and Chinese Nuclear Weapons, (New York: Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc., 1994), p. 384.
July 1965
The four engines for the DF-1, DF-2 and DF-3 are tested together on a stand for the first time The DF-3 is to be a multi-engine rocket, unlike the single-engine DF-1 and DF-2.
—Brian Harvey, The Chinese Space Programme: From Conception to Future Capabilities, (New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1998), p. 15.
1 July 1966
The Second Artillery Force, commanded by Xiang Shouzhi, is created to lead China's nuclear forces. It is equipped with strategic and ballistic missiles. It consists of six ballistic missile divisions.
— "Second Artillery Corp," GlobalSecurity.org, <http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/world/china/2-corps-intro.htm>.
27 October 1966
China launches a Dong Feng-2 (DF-2) medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) from the Shuangchengzi missile test site in Gansu province, which strikes its target in the Lop Nur test site. The missile carried a 12 kiloton nuclear warhead, marking the only time that a country has tested a nuclear warhead on a ballistic missile over populated areas.
—Robert S. Noris, Andrew S. Burrows, and Richard W. Fieldhouse, Nuclear Weapons Databook: British, French, and Chinese Nuclear Weapons, (New York: Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc., 1994), p. 333; Yan Kong, "China's Nuclear Bureaucracy," Jane's Intelligence Review, July 1993.
26 December 1966
China conducts its first successful test flight of the DF-3 missile.
—Robert S. Noris, Andrew S. Burrows, and Richard W. Fieldhouse, Nuclear Weapons Databook: British, French, and Chinese Nuclear Weapons, (New York: Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc., 1994), p. 333.
26 January 1968
The first test run of the third stage of the Long March-1 launch vehicle ends in failure. The engine explodes 30 seconds after take-off. The failure is blamed on a malfunction with the adhesive.
—Brian Harvey, The Chinese Space Programme: From Conception to Future Capabilities, (New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1998), p. 26.
17 September 1969
Asahi Shimbun reports that Japan believes China has developed ballistic missiles with a range of more than 1,200 miles and will test an ICBM by the end of 1970.
—New York Times, 17 September 1969, Page 6, in Lexis-Nexis, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com>.
1 November 1969
China attempts an unsuccessful launch of a satellite using a DF-3/CZ-1 launcher. The launch was deemed a failure because the satellite did not reach orbit.
—Robert S. Noris, Andrew S. Burrows, and Richard W. Fieldhouse, Nuclear Weapons Databook: British, French, and Chinese Nuclear Weapons, (New York: Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc., 1994), p.. 334.
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does not necessarily reflect the opinions of and has not been independently
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