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FSW-0 Imagery Intelligence

Designed to support both military and civilian Earth observation needs, the FSW (Fanhui Shi Weixing, i.e., Return Type Satellite) program began in 1966. Recent Chinese descriptions of the program have shed new light on the FSW series. In 1967 Prof. Wang Xiji, who had returned from the United States, Sun Jiadong and others, submitted a feasibility report to the government on the development of experimental retrievable satellites. This project was soon approved and experiments begun.

This recoverable film-return imagery intelligence satellite experienced an initial launch failure on 05 November 1974. On 26 November 1975 a Long March-2 launched China's first retrievable satellite from the Jiuquan Satellite Launching Center. Ten days later the Xian ground control station commanded the satellite to reenter in the recovery zone at Liuzhi, Guizhou Province in southwest China. Although the outer part of the reentry vehicle was damaged on reentry due to defective materials, the imagery intelligence hardware and film was not damaged and the mission was judged a success.

The original FSW-O variant completed nine orbital missions during 1975-1987 after the maiden launch failure in 1974.

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