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Launch Success
Liftoff Time (GMT)
13:35:45
Friday April 24, 1970
China's first orbital launch. China becomes the 5th space power. First flight of Long March 1 with a third stage. China becomes the third country to launch a satellite into orbit on the first try, after the USSR and France.
DFH 1 (Dong Fang Hong 1) was the first Chinese satellite. This was the first satellite launched by China on its own booster, making China the fifth nation to put a spacecraft into orbit using its own rocket. The satellite was developed under the direction of Tsien Hsue-Shen, dean of the Chinese Academy of Space Technology (CAST). The experimental satellite was a nearly spherically shaped symmetrical 72-faced polyhedron with a 1-meter diameter. It was battery-powered and carried a radio transmitter. The primary mission was to broadcast the song "Dong Fang Hong", paying tribute to Chairman Mao, and to announce the time. A total of five identical satellites were built to have backups in case of launch failures. The first satellite launched successfully.
Low Earth Orbit
1 Payload
173 kilograms
Agency
MASIRocket
Height: 30.45m
Payload to Orbit
LEO: 300 kg
GTO: 0 kg
Liftoff Thrust
1,020 Kilonewtons
Fairing
Diameter: 1.5m
Height: 4.67m
Stages
3
1st
Mission
1st
Mission of 1970
36th
Orbital launch attempt