Canister containing the thermonuclear device is pushed to the shot tower |
Shortly after the 596 test, work began on developing fusion weapons. Little was known about hydrogen bombs and most of the information about their design was taken from foreign published sources. By 1964, production began of lithium-6 deuteride, a principle thermonuclear fuel. Since no plutonium was available at the time, the development of a two-stage thermonuclear weapon became increasingly complicated.
The principal work on H-bomb development took fourteen months. Several different fusion weapons were conceived. One of the designs was a ‘booster’ weapon, much like the American Greenhouse Item device. The booster design was successfully tested on May 9, 1966. A Hong-6 bomber dropped the weapon over the Lop Nur test site. It yielded 250 kilotons. The device contained uranium with lithium-6.
A second thermonuclear test was detonated on December 28, 1966. A uranium-lithium-6 device was mounted in a shot cab atop a 325 foot tower. It was successfully detonated with a yield of 122 kilotons. These two thermonuclear experiments helped pave the path for developing a true two-stage thermonuclear device.
Following the success of the uranium-lithium device test on December 18, 1966, the green light was given by the Fifteen-Member Special Commission on developing a two-stage thermonuclear weapon. The Cultural Revolution was raging in China at the time development began. Riots moved all over the country and eventually reached the Ninth Academy. Several well-known scientists had to suspend their research during this time.
Hydrogen bomb drop |
Despite the Cultural Revolution, development accelerated in the Theoretical Department of the Ninth Academy. News of an imminent French hydrogen bomb test helped motivate the developmental team and in early May the Nuclear Component Manufacturing Plant in the Jiuquan complex completed assembly of the bomb.
On May 9th, the order was given to prepare the Lop Nur test site for a full-scale thermonuclear test by June 20, 1967. A trial run with a prototype was conducted prior to the actual test. The bomb itself would deploy a parachute after release to give the drop plane more time to reach a safe distance from the explosion. The air force had been conducting trial runs with model bombs since April. One trial run showed tears in the parachute. New safety procedure, including additional tests of the detonation control system, were conducted.
June 17, 1967 was selected as the day for the full-scale tests. A large portrait of Mao Zedong and clusters of red flags and placards inscribed with Mao Zedung’s sayings were set up at the site for the test. The bomb was hoisted onto a Hong-6 (number 726) bomber several hours prior to the test. The final check of the bomb had to be completed on board the plane by He Xianjue, a 1964 graduate of the Northwest Industrial University.
The drop plane was piloted by Xu Kejiang. Once airborne, some of the crew of the plane became nervous to an extent that the plane missed its intended drop point and drop time. Zhou Enlai had to personally radio the crew of the plane and calm them down. The plane made another pass over the drop area and the bomb was released at 8:20.
The bomb exploded at an altitude of 9472 feet with a yield of 3.3 megatons. Steel plates 1300 feet from ground zero melted. A 54 ton locomotive 2 miles from ground zero was thrown off the track. Brick houses 9 miles from the explosion collapsed. Soldiers left their protective trenches and proceeded to advance toward ground zero after the shockwave had passed.
Only 32 months had passed from the first atomic test to the first hydrogen bomb test, the shortest period of time needed for any nation to develop thermonuclear weapons. The bomb itself contained U-235, lithium-6 deuteride, and U-238. It is still unknown if the bomb tested on June 17, 1967 was ever stockpiled in the Chinese nuclear arsenal.
| China's First Hydrogen Bomb Test |
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The first sequence in this video shows detonation of the bomb and the rapidly expanding fireball that resulted from the immense release of energy. The small white dot to the left of the fireball is the sun. The next sequence shows a wider view of the explosion as the fireball cools and rises, forming several icecaps. A series of condensation rings formed at the top of the fireball and spread out laterally. Dust and debris can be seen rising from the surface of the ground as the rising fireball creates a vacuum underneath it. The last sequence shows the developed mushroom cloud several minutes after the explosion. Click on the thumbnail image to the left to watch the video.
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Footage source: August One Film Studio
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| Code Name: | ??? (CHIC-7) |
| Time and Date: | 4:00 December 24, 1967 (GMT) |
| Location: | Lop Nor, Xinjiang, China |
| Height: | ??? |
| Type: | Atmospheric |
| Predicted Yield: | --- |
| Actual Yield: | 20 kt |
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| Code Name: | ??? (CHIC-8) |
| Time and Date: | 7:30 December 27, 1968 (GMT) |
| Location: | Area D, Lop Nor, Xinjiang, China |
| Height: | ??? |
| Type: | Air Drop |
| Predicted Yield: | --- |
| Actual Yield: | 3000 kt |
|
| Code Name: | ??? (CHIC-9) |
| Time and Date: | 8:40 September 29, 1969 (GMT) |
| Location: | Area D, Lop Nor, Xinjiang, China |
| Height: | ??? |
| Type: | Air Drop |
| Predicted Yield: | --- |
| Actual Yield: | 3000 kt |
|
| Code Name: | ??? (CHIC-10) |
| Time and Date: | 7:30 October 14, 1970(GMT) |
| Location: | Area D, Lop Nor, Xinjiang, China |
| Height: | ??? |
| Type: | Air Drop |
| Predicted Yield: | --- |
| Actual Yield: | 3400 kt |
|
| Code Name: | ??? (CHIC-11) |
| Time and Date: | 6:00 November 18, 1970(GMT) |
| Location: | Lop Nor, Xinjiang, China |
| Height: | ??? |
| Type: | Tower |
| Predicted Yield: | --- |
| Actual Yield: | 20 kt |
|
| Code Name: | ??? (CHIC-12) |
| Time and Date: | 7:00 January 7, 1972 (GMT) |
| Location: | Lop Nor, Xinjiang, China |
| Height: | ??? |
| Type: | Air Burst - Air Drop |
| Predicted Yield: | --- |
| Actual Yield: | 1000 kilotons |
This was a test of the KB-1 thermonuclear warhead dropped from a Qiang-5 attack aircraft. Photos of this test are often mislabeled as being China's first Hydrogen bomb test.
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| Code Name: | ??? (CHIC-13) |
| Time and Date: | 6:00 March 18, 1972 (GMT) |
| Location: | Lop Nor, Xinjiang, China |
| Height: | ??? |
| Type: | Atmospheric |
| Predicted Yield: | --- |
| Actual Yield: | 170 kt |
|
| Code Name: | ??? (CHIC-14) |
| Time and Date: | 4:00 June 27, 1973 (GMT) |
| Location: | Area D, Lop Nor, Xinjiang, China |
| Height: | ??? |
| Type: | Air Drop |
| Predicted Yield: | --- |
| Actual Yield: | 3000 kt |
|
| Code Name: | ??? (CHIC-15) |
| Time and Date: | 6:00 June 27, 1974 (GMT) |
| Location: | Area D, Lop Nor, Xinjiang, China |
| Height: | ??? |
| Type: | Air Drop |
| Predicted Yield: | --- |
| Actual Yield: | 1000 kt |
|
| Code Name: | ??? (CHIC-16) |
| Time and Date: | 6:00 Janurary 23, 1976 (GMT) |
| Location: | Lop Nor, Xinjiang, China |
| Height: | ??? |
| Type: | Atmospheric |
| Predicted Yield: | --- |
| Actual Yield: | ~20 kt |
|
| Code Name: | ??? (CHIC-17) |
| Time and Date: | 6:00 September 26, 1976 (GMT) |
| Location: | Lop Nor, Xinjiang, China |
| Height: | ??? |
| Type: | Atmospheric |
| Predicted Yield: | --- |
| Actual Yield: | 200 kt |
|
| Code Name: | ??? (CHIC-18) |
| Time and Date: | 6:00 November 17, 1976 (GMT) |
| Location: | Area D, Lop Nor, Xinjiang, China |
| Height: | ??? |
| Type: | Air Drop |
| Predicted Yield: | --- |
| Actual Yield: | 4000 kt |
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| Code Name: | ??? (CHIC-19) |
| Time and Date: | 6:00 September 17, 1977 (GMT) |
| Location: | Lop Nor, Xinjiang, China |
| Height: | ??? |
| Type: | Atmospheric |
| Predicted Yield: | --- |
| Actual Yield: | ~20 kt |
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| Code Name: | ??? (CHIC-20) |
| Time and Date: | 5:00 March 15, 1978 (GMT) |
| Location: | Lop Nor, Xinjiang, China |
| Height: | ??? |
| Type: | Atmospheric |
| Predicted Yield: | --- |
| Actual Yield: | 11 kt |
|
| Code Name: | ??? (CHIC-21) |
| Time and Date: | December 14, 1978 (GMT) |
| Location: | Lop Nor, Xinjiang, China |
| Height: | ??? |
| Type: | Atmospheric |
| Predicted Yield: | --- |
| Actual Yield: | ~20 kt |
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| Code Name: | ??? (CHIC-22) |
| Time and Date: | 4:30 October 16, 1980 (GMT) |
| Location: | Area D, Lop Nor, Xinjiang, China |
| Height: | ??? |
| Type: | Air Drop |
| Predicted Yield: | --- |
| Actual Yield: | 1000 kt |
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Underground Testing
China’s first underground test was conducted on September 23, 1969. China’s last atmospheric test was conducted on October 16, 1980. Since then, China has detonated some 18 underground tests. These included both testing in tunnels and shafts. The largest of these underground tests was detonated on May 21, 1992 with a yield of 660 kilotons. On September 29, 1988 China tested an ‘enhanced radiation’ weapon, also known as a neutron bomb.
It has been repeatedly pointed out by China that out of the five nuclear nations, it has conducted the least amount of tests. China tested 15 different nuclear warheads over the course of its testing program. These ranged in yields from less then 20 kilotons to 4 megatons.
China announced it permanently banned further above ground testing however the technical capability for conducting such tests still remain. It has been claimed by China that the years of atmospheric testing did not cause any radiological harm to the surrounding regions near Lop Nur. However, it was been documented that early testing caused extensive radiological exposure to personnel working at the Lop Nur test site.
The Last Test
| Code Name: |
??? |
| Time and Date: |
01:48:57.8 July 29, 1996 (GMT) |
| Location: |
Area A, Lop Nor, Xinjiang, China
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Height:
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??? feet
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Type:
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Underground Burst - Tunnel
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Predicted Yield:
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---
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Actual Yield:
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5 kilotons
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The last Chinese nuclear test to date was conducted on July 29, 1996 in the Central District of the Lop Nur test site. It has been reported that this last series of nuclear tests was intended to develop warheads with improved safety features such as insensitive high explosives (IHE). New warheads were also tested for China’s next generation solid-fuel ICBMs. Following the last nuclear test China signed the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty on September 24, 1996.
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