DF-3 Media Gallery

The DF-3 project began in 1964 with the objective of developing a nuclear-tipped missile capable of reaching the Philippines (earlier referred to as the DF-1).

Manufacturer: CALT. Launches: 3. First Launch Date: 1966-12-26. Last Launch Date: 1970-01-30. Launch data is: incomplete. Apogee: 500 km (310 mi). Liftoff Thrust: 1,224.000 kN (275,166 lbf). Total Mass: 64,000 kg (141,000 lb). Core Diameter: 2.25 m (7.38 ft). Total Length: 23.99 m (78.70 ft). Span: 2.74 m (8.98 ft). Number Standard Warheads: 1. Standard warhead yield: 3,300 KT. Standard warhead CEP: 0.87 km (0.54 mi). Boost Propulsion: Storable liquid rocket, Nitric acid+N2O4 (AK-27)/UDMH. Guidance: Inertial. Total Number Built: 90.

Single stage vehicle consisting of 1 x DF3-YF2A

Apogee: 500 km (310 mi). Liftoff Thrust: 1,224.000 kN (275,166 lbf). Total Mass: 63,843 kg (140,749 lb). Core Diameter: 2.25 m (7.38 ft). Total Length: 24.00 m (78.00 ft). Standard warhead mass: 2,140 kg (4,710 lb). Maximum range: 2,660 km (1,650 mi). Number Standard Warheads: 1. Standard warhead yield: 3,300 KT. Standard warhead CEP: 0.87 km (0.54 mi). Boost Propulsion: Storable liquid rocket, Nitric acid+N2O4 (AK-27)/UDMH. Guidance: Inertial.

Total Mass: 63,843 kg (140,749 lb). Core Diameter: 2.25 m (7.38 ft). Total Length: 23.99 m (78.70 ft). Span: 2.74 m (8.98 ft). Standard warhead mass: 2,140 kg (4,710 lb). Maximum range: 2,810 km (1,740 mi). Number Standard Warheads: 1. Standard warhead yield: 3,300 KT. Standard warhead CEP: 0.87 km (0.54 mi). Boost Propulsion: Storable liquid rocket, Nitric acid+N2O4 (AK-27)/UDMH. Guidance: Inertial. Total Number Built: 70.

1960 November 14 - Launch Vehicle: DF-3.

• DF-3 ICBM development begun. Nation: China. Program: Long March. Tsien appoints himself head of the DF-3 project - a quantum leap to build a 10,000 km range liquid oxygen/kerosene propellant intercontinental ballistic missile. The objective proves much too ambitious and is eventually cancelled. It is the last missile project Tsien is allowed to manage.References: 87.

• Chinese missiles redesignated and new development plan adopted. Nation: China. Program: Long March. Tsien had conducted a series of meetings with the Chinese leadership during the year to redefine China's missile development plans. There are clashes between Tsien, who favours an American engineering approach, and his staff, who were trained in Russian and favour the Soviet approach. Finally the missiles were defined by their target objectives, and a new development plan was adopted, with definite goals. The 1059 missile (copy of Russian R-2) was redesignated DF-1. The DF-2 was to be improved to carry an atomic bomb to a range sufficient to hit Japan. The DF-3 ICBM was cancelled, and the new DF-3 project would involve development of a nuclear-tipped missile capable of reaching the Philippines (earlier referred to as the DF-1). The DF-4 was to be capable of hitting Guam, and the DF-5 would be an ICBM capable of reaching the United States. The DF-2, DF-3 and DF-4 would use strap-down accelerometer guidance packages, while the DF-5 was to be equipped with a full-fledged inertial guidance unit.References: 87.

• Test mission Nation: China. Program: Long March. Agency: PRC MAI. Apogee: 500 km (310 mi). References: 87, 398.

• Test mission Nation: China. Agency: PRC MAI. Apogee: 500 km (310 mi). References: 1836.

• Test mission Nation: China. Program: Long March. Agency: PRC MAI. Apogee: 500 km (310 mi). First test of prototype DF-3 (perhaps same configuration as CZ-1); not deployed. References: 87, 398.

• Chang, Iris, Thread of the Silkworm, Basic Books, New York, 1995. ISBN: 0465006787. The story of how America, in the grip of McCarthyism, expelled the Father of Chinese Rocketry from CalTech to his homeland. A relatively small event with great consquences. More at amazon.com...