These missions are tests of a Chinese Fractional Orbital Bombardmnet System (FOBS), a warhead delivery system that uses a low Earth orbit towards its target destination and deorbits before completing a full orbit.
The concept of a FOBS was pioneered in the 1960ies by the Soviet OGCh system. Although an orbital flight reduced the payload mass and reduced accuracy in comparison to ballistic ICBMs, it was considered an advantage to have nuclear weapons, which could attack every target from every direction. The Chinese FOBS system might be related to the DF-ZF hypersonic glide-body weapons.
The first flight was launched on 27 July 2021 (date not confirmed) on a CZ-2C (3) and was deorbited after one orbit. The satellite was not tracked. China has not officially confirmed the test.
A second flight is expected to take place in November 2023.
| Nation: | PR China |
|---|---|
| Type / Application: | Fractional Orbital Bombardment System (FOBS) test |
| Operator: | |
| Contractors: | |
| Equipment: | |
| Configuration: | |
| Propulsion: | ? |
| Power: | Batteries |
| Lifetime: | |
| Mass: | |
| Orbit: |
| Satellite | COSPAR | Date | LS | Launch Vehicle | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Chinese FOBS Test 1" | 2021-U01 | 27.07.2021 | TY LC-7 ? | CZ-2C (3) | ||
| "Chinese FOBS Test 2" | - | 2024 | TY LC-7 ? | CZ-2C (3) |
* = suborbital
