Shenzhou-1
First test flight of the Shenzhou spacecraft, without crew on board. The spacecraft used has only 8 of the 13 sub-systems on board being operational, and was not equipped with a life support system or an emergency escape system. The major test objectives of the mission were the flight of the Long March 2F rocket, separation of the modules, attitude control, lifting body reentry, heat shield testing and ground recovery.
The Long March 2F is a Chinese orbital carrier rocket, part of the Long March 2 rocket family. Designed to launch the crewed Shenzhou spacecraft, the Long March 2F is a human-rated two-stage version of the Long March 2E rocket, which in turn was based on the Long March 2C launch vehicle. It is launched from complex SLS at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.
Service provider
Government • CHN
The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) is the main contractor for the Chinese space program. It is state-owned and has a number of subordinate entities which design, develop and manufacture a range of spacecraft, launch vehicles, strategic and tactical missile systems, and ground equipment. It was officially established in July 1999 as part of a Chinese government reform drive, having previously been one part of the former China Aerospace Corporation. Various incarnations of the program date back to 1956.
Objects from this launch
5 objects
SATCAT inventory for 1999-061
Last checked: 2026-03-14T00:11:00.618+00:00
Last success: 2026-03-14T00:11:00.618+00:00
Last non-empty: 2026-03-14T00:11:00.618+00:00
Latest snapshot: 2026-03-14T00:11:00.618+00:00
Snapshot hash: 64775fcd97f7a106da11620d5befa66135610b577cf913e6ef2b0d2761cbe100
LL2 payloads: 0SATCAT payloads: 1Delta: +1RB: 1DEB: 3UNK: 0
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SATCAT payload objects
SHENZHOU-1 (SZ-1)
Technical details
Orbit type: LANOrbit center: EALaunch site: JSCPeriod: 89.61 min
Inc: 42.6°
195 km → 315 km
SATCAT non-payload objects
CZ-5 DEB
Technical details
Orbit type: IMPOrbit center: EALaunch site: JSCPeriod: 89.35 minRCS: 0.800 m²
Inc: 42.8°
155 km → 330 km
CZ-5 DEB
Technical details
Orbit type: IMPOrbit center: EALaunch site: JSCPeriod: 90.42 minRCS: 0.052 m²
Inc: 42.5°
181 km → 409 km
SZ-1 DEB
Technical details
Orbit type: IMPOrbit center: EALaunch site: JSCPeriod: 87.68 minRCS: 8.288 m²
Inc: 42.6°
145 km → 174 km
CZ-5 R/B
Technical details
Orbit type: IMPOrbit center: EALaunch site: JSCPeriod: 87.14 minRCS: 7.128 m²
Inc: 42.6°
122 km → 144 km