Fanhui Shi Weixing


Fanhui Shi Weixing is a series of Chinese recoverable reconnaissance satellites. The satellites were used for both military and civilian observation needs, with a total of 26 flights. The first flight was FSW-0 on 1969-06-01 and the last SJ-8 on 2006-09-09.
Four models of the satellites were introduced: FSW-0, FSW-1, FSW-2, and the most modern being FSW-3. All satellites were put in orbit using the Long March rockets, most of them by the CZ-2C type.
A novel feature of the spacecraft's reentry module was the use of a natural material, impregnated oak, as the ablative material for its heat shield.
Successful achievement of landing technology was the basis for the second Chinese manned space programme, third manned programme Project 863, and current Shenzhou programme.

History

China started developing this kind of satellite in the early 1970s. On 26 November 1975, China launched the first FSW satellite from Jiuquan in Inner-Mongolia. The satellite finished its mission successfully on 29 November 1975 and returned to earth safely, with the landing location in a special zone of Guizhou Province. It was the first Asian atmospheric reentry mission, and China became the third country to recover a satellite after its mission.
There are mainly three generations in history: FSW-0; FSW-1; FSW-2 and the current FSW-3. Until the year 2003, China launched in total 22 of this kind of satellite, for climate, geographical and agricultural purposes.

Variants

It was the first generation of China's returnable satellites. The main use was for the inspection of national land and natural resources. Satellites of this generation all carried prism-scan panoramic cameras. It did not have any complete orbit control system, so its decay or attenuation of orbit was fast; it thus had a relatively short orbit duration. Its accuracy for landing or return location was relatively low.
This generation carried much more powerful cameras. The main use of this generation was for drawing geographical maps. Its resolution was as high as 10m.
FSW-0FSW-1FSW-2FSW-3
Satellite Mass 180021002800~3100
Satellite Volume 7.67.612.8
Return Load 260260400
Launch Load 340450500~600
Mission Duration 3~5815~17
Microgravity Gradient 10−3~10−510−3~10−510−3~10−5
Orbital Inclination 57~6857~7057~70
Periapsis 172~180200~210175~200
Apoapsis 400~500300~400300~400
Orbit Period ~90~90~90
Launch Rocket TypeLong March CLong March CLong March DLong March C or D

Manned flights

Due to lack of information both about origins of FSW and about second manned space programme, it was speculated that the first model FSW-0, was designed initially for manned use as spacecraft instead of first manned programme Shuguang aborted in early 70s.
The West were suggesting that after dozen of mostly successful launches of FB-1 and CZ-2 rockets and 4 successful annual launches of FSW China made in December, 1978 the first attempt of launch of manned version of FSW spacecraft, but due to fail with loss of astronaut this program was closed, and the FSW satellite only retrieved a flight in 1982.

Launches