DF-5

Development of the the DF-5 began in 1964. The goal was an ICBM capable of reaching the United States. Although deployed in very limited numbers as an ICBM, this rocket became the basis for an entire family of space launch vehicles and the foundation of the Chinese space program.

The missile was designed from the beginning to include China's first full inertial navigation guidance package. On January 4, 1966, Tsien proposed development of a countermeasures package for the DF-5 to evade American anti-ballistic missile systems. This was to included electronic jammers and spoofers and balloon decoys. American investigators would claim, beginning in the 1990's, that the CZ-5 incorporated Titan 2 missile technology. Flight tests began in 1971 but the missile did not enter service until 1981, following a series of two recoverable-warhead tests.

Manufacturer: CALT. Launches: 9. First Launch Date: 1971-09-10. Last Launch Date: 1981-12-07. Launch data is: incomplete. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). Liftoff Thrust: 2,500.000 kN (562,000 lbf). Total Mass: 181,000 kg (399,000 lb). Core Diameter: 3.35 m (10.99 ft). Total Length: 32.61 m (106.98 ft). Span: 3.35 m (10.99 ft). Standard warhead mass: 3,000 kg (6,600 lb). Maximum range: 12,020 km (7,460 mi). Number Standard Warheads: 1. Standard warhead yield: 3,300 KT. Standard warhead CEP: 0.44 km (0.27 mi). Boost Propulsion: Storable liquid rocket, N2O4/UDMH. Guidance: Inertial. Total Number Built: 4.

Modernised DF-5 incorporating guidance and propulsion improvements developed for the CZ-series of launch vehicles.

Total Mass: 181,000 kg (399,000 lb). Core Diameter: 3.35 m (10.99 ft). Total Length: 32.61 m (106.98 ft). Span: 3.35 m (10.99 ft). Standard warhead mass: 3,190 kg (7,030 lb). Maximum range: 13,030 km (8,090 mi). Number Standard Warheads: 1. Standard warhead yield: 3,300 KT. Standard warhead CEP: 0.44 km (0.27 mi). Boost Propulsion: Storable liquid rocket, N2O4/UDMH. Guidance: Inertial. Total Number Built: 4.

1964 September 12 - Launch Vehicle: DF-1, DF-2, DF-3, DF-3 Tsien, DF-4, DF-5.

• 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. Agency: PRC. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). Research and Development Suborbital Flight References: 398.

• Test mission Nation: China. Agency: PRC. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). Other sources say launch was from Taiyuan. References: 1864.

• Test mission Nation: China. Agency: PRC. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). Other sources say launch was from Taiyuan. References: 1864.

• Test mission Nation: China. Agency: PRC. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). Other sources say launch was from Taiyuan on 2 August. References: 1864.

• Test mission Nation: China. Agency: PRC. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). Other sources say launch was from Taiyuan. References: 1864.

• Test mission Nation: China. Agency: PRC. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). Other sources say launch was from Taiyuan on 15 October. References: 1836.

• Last DF-5 partial range test. Nation: China. Program: Long March. Other sources do not list this test. References: 87.

• Test mission Nation: China. Agency: PRC. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). References: 1864.

• Test mission Nation: China. Agency: PRC. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). References: 1864.

• Test mission Nation: China. Agency: PRC. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). Other sources say launch was from Taiyuan. References: 1836.

• 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...