Tsien Hsue-shen, father of Chinese rocketry and spaceflight, leaves China on a Boxer Rebellion Scholarship to study at MIT.

Tsien Hsue-shen, at the urging of Theodore von Karman, begins graduate studies at the California Institute of Technology. He will continue there for nearly twenty years, first as a student, finally as the Goddard Professor, becoming one of the leading rocket scientists in the United States.

FBI agents interrogate Tsien Hsue-shen on allegations that he is a Communist. The same day his security clearance is revoked, making it virtually impossible to continue meaningful work in rocketry. The allegations seem unlikely to his associates at CalTech (his wife was the daughter of one of Chiang Kai-shek's leading military strategists). Two weeks later, Tsien announces his intention to return to China. Tsien, denied the possibility to work, becomes enmeshed in a tug-of-war between differing viewpoints in the US government bureaucracy: those that want to deport him as an undesirable alien, and those that want to keep him in the country because of what he knows.

After five years of wrangling, and secret talks in Geneva between the Red Chinese and US governments, Tsien is deported from the United States. Upon arrival in China, he was immediately put to work as head of the Chinese missile program. He had to introduce US systems engineering approaches to Chinese engineers, and build the technical infrastructure to enable China to build rockets.

Tsien Hsue-shen submits proposal to State Council for ballistic missile development.

Fifth Academy founded for development of ballistic missiles

Beginning of construction of rail lines to Jiuquan missile test site

Russian and China sign New Defense Technical Accord, whereby Russia will supply China with protoype atomic bomb and two R-2 missiles, and related technical data.

Russian hands over two R-2 missiles and technical drawings. Further 12 ordered.

Fifth Academy finalizes plan to proceed development of indigenous Dong Feng missiles (original DF-1, DF-2, DF-3 designations)

The Soviet CPCE advises China it will not provide prototype or drawings of atomic bombs as agreed previously.

First Chinese missile production factories built: Shenyang (missile frames) Nancheng (engines).

All Russian technical advisers withdrawn from China.

First launch of Chinese-built copy of R-2, model 1059

Tsien Hsue-shen starts development of DF-3 10,000 km missile.

First DF-2 launch. A failure. Redesigned for reduced thrust.

DF-1 renumbered as DF-3; prior DF-3 project cancelled.

Decision to proceed with DF-2A extended range version of DF-2

DF-2 launched with 20 kt warhead from Shaunchengtzu 800 km to Lop Nor, where warhead successfully explodes.

First test of prototype DF-3 (perhaps same configuration as CZ-1); not deployed.

RV impacted 1300 km short of recovery fleet.

First launch from Jingyu test site.

First successful JL-1 launch, impacting 123.53 deg N, 28.13 deg E.