Published : 26/11/2025

On the 26 of November 1975, China's first recoverable satellite, Jianbing-1 (尖兵一號), was launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre and accurately entered its predetermined orbit.

Three days later, the satellite's re-entry capsule landed safely and was successfully recovered, and China thus became the third country in the world to master satellite recovery technology.

As early as the mid-1960s, China began developing recoverable satellites. After countless tests and overcoming innumerable difficulties, the flight model of China's first recoverable satellite was finally completed at the end of 1973.

In November of the following year, the satellite underwent its first launch test, but 20 seconds after lift-off, the entire carrier rocket suddenly lost control.

After the failed test, researchers conducted comprehensive tests on the hundreds of thousands of components of the satellite and the rocket, and effective safeguard measures were taken for all vulnerable parts. One year later, China's first recoverable satellite was finally launched and recovered successfully .

The successful recovery of the recoverable satellite laid a solid foundation for China's crewed space programme.