Xiangyanghong 10 was an oceanographic survey/communications ship constructed in the late 1970s to support China’s first full-range ICBM test programme (Project 718). Three designs including an oceanographic survey ship, a meteorology ship, and a communications ship were originally planned, but they were replaced by a single ship to save the costs. Design of the Type 643 ship began in February 1971, and the construction began of the first hull Xiangyanghong 10 in July 1975. The ship was officially delivered in October 1979.
Type 643 is a multi-functional ship designed for a range of tasks, including:
Oceanographic survey for the target zone of the missile test
Weather forecasting; and meteorological and hydrological support
Gravity and magnetic survey for missile ballistic correction
Long-range communications support and relay
Underwater acoustical data collection to support the recovery of the re-entry vehicle
As well as the standard oceanographic survey equipments, Type 643 was also equipped with a range of special equipments, including
Type 643 shares that same hull design of the Type 925 (NATO codename: Dajiang class) ocean salvage and rescue ship, retaining the large crane located on the bow deck in front of the superstructure.
Xiangyanghong 10 had been operated by the East Sea Branch of the State Oceanic Administration (SOA) before it was converted.
Yuanwang 4
In 1998, Xiangyanghong10 was converted into a space tracking ship to support China’s manned space programme (Project 921), and was renamed Yuanwang 4. The large crane and communication mast on the bow deck was removed and replaced by a tracking radar.
Unlike other Yuanwang space tracking ships, Yuanwang 4 lacks the ability to control the spacecraft, and serves mainly for spacecraft tracking and communications relay roles. The ship is normally positioned in the South Pacific Ocean during a flight mission to rebroadcast the video and audio communications signals between the ShenZhou spacecraft and the mission control centre in Beijing. By 2005, Yuanwang 4 had undertaken 9 missions covering a total distance of 120,000 nautical miles.
Yuanwang 4: Ex-oceanographic survey ship Xiangyanghong-10 after its conversion into a space tracking ship
