March 28, 1970 - China Launches Its First Satellite Dong Fang Hong 1 Preparations

On April 1, 1970, China transported the Chang Zheng 1 rocket and two satellites by train to Jiuquan under armed guard and strict secrecy. Weeks of intensive preparations followed, including stacking rocket stages, loading propellant, and mating Dong Fang Hong 1 to its spin-stabilized third stage. Premier Zhou Enlai personally reviewed launch readiness after a failed November 1969 attempt. If you're curious about what made this mission truly remarkable, there's much more to uncover.

Key Takeaways

• China's first satellite, Dong Fang Hong 1, launched April 24, 1970, not March 28, aboard the Long March 1 rocket from Jiuquan.
• On April 1, 1970, the Chang Zheng 1 rocket and two satellites were secretly transported by train to Jiuquan under armed guard.
• Launch preparations included stacking rocket stages, loading propellant, and mating the satellite to the spin-stabilized third stage.
• Premier Zhou Enlai convened a readiness review after a failed November 1969 attempt, demanding guaranteed transmission before launch approval.
• The third stage was fitted with an observation skirt to increase reflectivity, achieving brightness magnitude 2–3 for ground visibility.

Why China Decided to Build Dong Fang Hong 1

China's decision to build Dong Fang Hong 1 began with a bold political directive. In May 1958, Mao Zedong proposed building artificial satellites at the Eighth National Congress, setting an ambitious goal during an era of technological self-reliance. You can see how this directive reflected both foresight and courage, pushing China to compete independently in the global space race.

Scientific advocacy reinforced this momentum. By late 1958, Qian Xuesen, Zhao Jiuzhang, and others wrote to the Central Committee, urging China to develop man-made earth satellites and join international space efforts on its own terms. Their push laid the groundwork for the "two bombs and one satellite" project. Together, political will and scientific vision drove China toward achieving an independent space capability. Development of the satellite was led by Tsien Hsue-shen, who served as dean of the Chinese Academy of Space Technology. In May 1965, Premier Zhou Enlai instructed the Chinese Academy of Sciences to formulate a concrete plan for China's first satellite.

How CAST Engineered Dong Fang Hong 1 as a 72-Faced Polyhedron

When CAST engineers set out to design Dong Fang Hong 1, they chose a symmetrical 72-faced polyhedron shape to maximize structural integrity while achieving a near-spherical form.

The satellite's polyhedral fabrication process produced a 1-meter diameter structure coated with processed aluminum alloy for thermal regulation, matching the Telstar satellite's configuration.

You'd notice engineers didn't rely on onboard propulsion for attitude control. Instead, they implemented spin stabilization at 120 rotations per minute, keeping the satellite oriented correctly throughout its mission.

The final structure weighed 173 kg, exceeding the first satellites launched by other nations.

Under Qian Xuesen's direction at CAST, engineers integrated four ultrashortwave whip antennas, each extending at least 2 meters, completing a design built for both broadcast capability and structural reliability. A shiny metallic ring was added to the bottom of the satellite, giving it a visual magnitude between +5 and +8. Much like Baird's early television demonstrations, which transmitted moving images using photocells capturing reflected light, Dong Fang Hong 1 relied on precise signal transmission to fulfill its communication objectives.

The satellite carried a radio transmitter programmed to broadcast the song "Dong Fang Hong" as its primary mission, serving as a cultural tribute to Chairman Mao while demonstrating China's newly established orbital capability.

Why Dong Fang Hong 1 Was Built With Entirely Domestic Parts

The 72-faced polyhedron that CAST engineers built wasn't just a structural achievement—it was built entirely from Chinese-made parts. During the Cold War, China's strategic imperative demanded a domestic supply chain that could support both military and civilian space programs simultaneously. Every component you'd find inside Dong Fang Hong 1—the radio transmitter, battery system, ionosphere sensors, and metallic structure—came from Chinese manufacturers without foreign collaboration.

This wasn't accidental. The "Two Bombs, One Satellite" program explicitly mandated indigenous manufacturing capabilities, pushing engineers to source materials exclusively from China's industrial base. The result carried deep indigenous pride: a 173 kg satellite that proved China could design, fabricate, test, and launch its own spacecraft without depending on international suppliers or outside technical assistance. Its successful launch made China the third country capable of independently developing and launching a satellite entirely on its own terms.

Once in orbit, the satellite continuously transmitted the song "The East is Red", a Cultural Revolution anthem that had already been broadcast across China for a decade and could now be heard around the world, blending the nation's technological achievement with overt political messaging.

How China Prepared Dong Fang Hong 1 for Launch at Jiuquan

On April 1, 1970, armed guards stationed between every two electricity poles escorted the Chang Zheng 1 rocket and two Dong Fang Hong 1 satellites by train to Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre—more than a year after a failed November 1969 attempt had delayed the mission. Strict logistics secrecy and security measures protected the entire transport route to the northwestern facility.

The next day, Premier Zhou Enlai convened a readiness review at the Great Hall of the People, demanding guarantees the satellite would transmit "The East is Red" from orbit. On launch morning, technicians stacked the first and second stages, loaded propellant, and mated the satellite to the spin-stabilized third stage. By evening, favorable winds and acceptable cloud cover confirmed conditions for the 9:30 p.m. launch window. To enhance visibility of the mission from the ground, the third stage of the Chang Zheng 1 was fitted with a specially designed observation skirt to increase its reflectivity to a brightness magnitude of 2–3.

At 173 kilograms, Dong Fang Hong 1 was heavier than the first four satellites of the United States, Soviet Union, France, and Japan combined, reflecting the remarkable scale of China's engineering ambition despite developing its space program under international isolation. Decades later, China's growing presence in space would contribute to a broader shift toward private orbital control, as commercial operators like Vast Space and Axiom Station began competing to replace government-monopolized facilities in low Earth orbit.

The April 24, 1970 Launch That Sent Dong Fang Hong 1 Into Orbit

At 9:35 p.m. Beijing time on April 24, 1970, you'd have witnessed history as the Long March 1 rocket lifted off from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center's Launch Area 2A. The rocket carried Dong Fang Hong 1, a 173 kg, 72-faced polyhedron satellite, into an orbit defined by precise orbital mechanics: a 441 km perigee, 2,286 km apogee, 68.42° inclination, and a 114.09-minute period.

Once in orbit, the satellite's radio payload began broadcasting "Dong Fang Hong," transmitting the song continuously for 20 days until May 14, 1970. This launch made China the fifth nation to independently deploy a satellite, marking a defining achievement under the "Two Bombs, One Satellite" program led by Qian Xuesen at the China Academy of Space Technology.