FSW-0 3

Launch Success

Liftoff Time (GMT)

04:58:00

Thursday January 26, 1978

Mission Details

Launch Notes

Final flight of the Long March 2.

FSW-0 3

Wiki

The Fanhui Shi Weixing (Chinese: 返回式卫星) were a series of Chinese recoverable reconnaissance satellites. The satellites were used for military and civilian observation tasks and completed 26 flights between 1 June 1969 and 9 September 2006. There were four models of the Fanhui Shi Weixing (FSW) satellites: FSW-0 (introduced in 1974); FSW-1 (introduced in 1987); FSW-2 (introduced in 1992); and FSW-3 (introduced in 2003). All four models were launched into orbit using Long March rockets. A novel feature of the spacecraft's re-entry module was the use of impregnated oak, a natural material, as the ablative material for its heat shield. The achievement of a recoverable satellite landing technology placed China third in the global space race after the Soviet Union and the United States. It served as the basis for the second Chinese crewed space program, the third crewed program (Project 863) during the late 1980s, and the current Shenzhou program (active since 1992).

Low Earth Orbit

1 Payload

1,800 kilograms

Rocket

Retired
Long March 2

Active 1974 to 1978

Ministry of Aerospace Industry logo

Agency

MASI

Rocket

Height: 35.93m

Payload to Orbit

LEO: 1,800 kg

GTO: 0 kg

Liftoff Thrust

2,785 Kilonewtons

Fairing

Diameter: 3.35m

Height: 4.34m

Stages

2

Launch Site

Site 138 (LA-2B)

Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, China

Fastest Turnaround

20 days 5 hours

Stats

Long March 2


4th

Mission

1st

Mission of 1978

1978


11th

Orbital launch attempt