FengBao 1 Space Launch Vehicle

Last updated: 7 February 2007

The FengBao 1 (FB-1, FengBao = "Storm") is China’s first heavy-lift space launch vehicle, with two-stage booster derived from the DF-5 (CSS-4) Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM). It is also China’s first, and only space launch vehicle that has sent three satellites into different orbits by using one vehicle. However, the development of the FB-1 suffered from serious technical difficulties and poor performance of the vehicle, and the project was eventually given up in the mid 1980s. Some of its technologies were used on the CZ-4A.

The origin of the FB-1 project can be dated back to the autumn of 1969, when the “Gang of Four” rose to power during turbulent period of the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) and dominated Chinese politics during that time. By that time the Chinese authority seemed to be split into two kingdoms: the central government led by Prime Minister Zhou Enlai in the capital Beijing, and the “Gang of Four” and their supporters based in China's largest city Shanghai.

To grab more resources and power from the central government, the “Gang of Four” ordered a range of key defence and aerospace projects to be carried by enterprises based in Shanghai, despite that a well-established aerospace R&D and research facility system already existed in Beijing. In August 1969, the FB-1 launch vehicle was carried by Shanghai’s 2nd Bureau of Mechanic-Electrical Industry, which later became Shanghai Bureau of Astronautics (SHBOA).

Few months later after the FB-1 project started, the 1st Space Academy (now CALT) in Beijing, the designer of China’s DF-5 ICBM and CZ-1 launch vehicle, also began to develop CZ-2 launch vehicle based on the missile. The incredible decision to develop two nearly identical space launch vehicles at the same time was a result of political struggles in the Culture Revolution.

After the death of Chairman Mao Zedong and the arrest of “Gang of Four” in 1976, the FB-1 project lasted for another few years and was eventually withdrawn from service in the early 1980s, but the Shanghai facility remained in use, being assigned development of the CZ-4 launch vehicle based on the FB-1 technology.

From August 1972 to September 1981, the FB-1 made 11 flights, including 1 test launch fight and 10 missions with military purpose payloads. The last flight of FB-1 has successfully sent three satellites (SJ-2, SJ-2A, and SJ-2B) into different orbits, marking the success of initial research on the multiple re-entry vehicle technology by the Chinese for its ICBM development. However, the FB-1 suffered from serious reliability problem. Five out of the eleven flights were failed, which has resulted in the cancellation of the FB-1 project in 1982.

The FB-1 consists of two stages burning UDMH and nitrogen tetroxide, which are almost identical to those on the CZ-2. From 1980, the second stage of the FB-1 was replaced by the FY-24 motor used by the CZ-2C. A re-designed nose dome was used to protect the payloads.

Specifications

First Launch: 10 August 1972
Last Flight: 19 September 1981
Launch Site: Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre (JSLC)
Capability: 1,500kg to LEO (190km)
Overall Length: 32.57m
Body Diameter: 3.35m
Fairing Length: 3.144m
Fairing Diameter: 2.20m
Launch Weight: 192.68t
Lift-off Thrust: 2,746kN (sea-level)
Propellant: (1) The first stage uses one FY-21 liquid motor consisting of four YF-20 thrust chambers motors burning UDMH/N2O4; (2) The second stage of early variant uses one YF-23 liquid motor consisting one YF-22 and a YF-23U swivelling venire motor with four thrust chambers burning UDMH/N2O4, while on the later variant a modified YF-24 liquid motor borrowed from the CZ-2C was used