Dongfanghong I Satellite

        The Dongfanghong I satellite was successfully launched on April 24, 1970, at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The Dongfanghong I satellite weighed 173 kilograms, had an approximately spherical 72-sided shape, a diameter of 1 meter, and four 2-meter whip antennas. It was launched by theLong March 1 carrier rocket into an elliptical orbit with a perigee of 441 kilometers, an apogee of 2368 kilometers, and an inclination of 68.44 degrees. The satellite performed orbit tracking and control and broadcast the song "Dongfanghong". The Dongfanghong I satellite operated for 28 days (designed lifespan of 20 days). The satellite stopped transmitting signals on May 14, but as of 2024, the Dongfanghong I satellite is still operating in its orbital space.

        The successful launch of Dongfanghong I ushered in a new era for China's space history, making China the fifth country in the world, after the Soviet Union, the United States, France, and Japan, to independently develop and launch artificial earth satellites.