List of nuclear weapons tests of China explained

Chinese Nuclear Weapon Tests
Picture Description:Project 596 was the first ever Chinese nuclear explosion.
Country:China
Test Site:Area A (Nanshan), Lop Nur, China; Area B (Qinggir), Lop Nur, China; Area C (Beishan), Lop Nur, China; Area D (Drop Area), Lop Nur, China
Period:1964–1996
Number Of Tests:47
Test Type:air drop, atmospheric, cratering, high alt rocket (30–80 km), parachuted, tower, underground, underground shaft, tunnel
Max Yield:4MtTNT

The list of nuclear weapons tests is a listing of nuclear tests conducted by the People's Republic of China from 1964 through 1996. Most listings show 45 tests in the series with 45 devices, with 23 tests being atmospheric. All tests were conducted in the remote location of Lop Nur, Xinjiang.[1]

List

China's nuclear test series tests and detonations
- !style="background:#ffdead;" Name [2] !style="background:#efefef;" Date time (UTC) !style="background:#efefef;" Location[3] !style="background:#ffdead;" Elevation + height [4] !style="background:#efefef;" Delivery, [5]
Purpose [6] !style="background:#efefef;" 		Device[7] !style="background:#ffdead;" Yield[8] !style="background:#efefef;" class="unsortable" Fallout[9] !style="background:#ffdead;" class="unsortable" References !style="background:#efefef;" class="unsortable" Notes - ! Project 596 07:00:?? Area D (Drop Area), Lop Nur, China 40.8125°N 89.7901°W 807m (2,648feet) + 102m (335feet) tower, NGB This pure-fission U-235 implosion fission device named "596" was China's first nuclear test. The device weighed 1550kg (3,420lb). No plutonium was available at that time. - ! CHIC-2 02:00:??, or [10] Area D (Drop Area), Lop Nur, China ~ 41.5°N 88.5°W 807m (2,648feet) + 500m (1,600feet) air drop, NGB Militarized version of 596 dropped by Hong-6. - ! CHIC-3 08:00:?? Area D (Drop Area), Lop Nur, China 40.7864°N 89.727°W 807m (2,648feet) + air drop, Soviet Sloika design First use of lithium-6 in a Soviet sloika design (other source says it was boosted fission); probably test of a thermonuclear primary. Said to have dropped on a 640feet white circle. - ! CHIC-4 01:10:?? Launch from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, China 41.3078°N 100.3153°W, elv: 1035m+0mm (3,396feet+00feetm);
Detonation over Area D (Drop Area), Lop Nur, China ~ 41.5°N 88.5°W 		N/A + 569m (1,867feet) high alt rocket (30–80 km),
weapons development 		Dongfeng-2 warhead "548" Delivery by CSS-1 MRBM Dong Feng-2 launched from Shuangchengzi Air Base, 894km (556miles) east of detonation. - ! CHIC-5 04:00:?? Area D (Drop Area), Lop Nur, China ~ 41.5°N 88.5°W 807m (2,648feet) + 102m (335feet) tower, Boosted fission (U235); test used to confirm the design principles of a two-stage device. - ! CHIC-6 00:19:08.2 Area D (Drop Area), Lop Nur, China 40.744°N 89.775°W 807m (2,648feet) + 2960m (9,710feet) parachuted, NGB/DF-3 warhead China's first full-yield multi-stage thermonuclear test (U235). - ! CHIC-7 07:30:22.1 Area D (Drop Area), Lop Nur, China ~ 41.5°N 88.5°W 807m (2,648feet) + air drop, Fizzled thermonuke. Exact time of 07:30:22.1 verified by USAF AFTAC duty operator William Scott. Recorded air burst signal scaled by Scott the next day at Turkmen Deh, Iran. Erroneous reports exist that show a time of 04:00:00. - ! CHIC-8 07:30:?? Area D (Drop Area), Lop Nur, China ~ 41.5°N 88.5°W 807m (2,648feet) + air drop, NGB/DF-3 warhead First use of plutonium. - ! CHIC-9 16:14:59.21 Area B (Qinggir), Lop Nur, China 41.376°N 88.318°W 1440m (4,720feet) + tunnel, Tunnel test in Nan Shan (South Mountain) that vented to surface. - ! CHIC-10 08:40:12.36 Area D (Drop Area), Lop Nur, China 40.722°N 89.515°W 807m (2,648feet) + air drop, NGB/DF-3 warhead - ! CHIC-11 07:29:56.91 Area D (Drop Area), Lop Nur, China 40.52°N 89.779°W 807m (2,648feet) + air drop, NGB/DF-3 warhead - ! CHIC-12 06:00:?? Area D (Drop Area), Lop Nur, China ~ 41.5°N 88.5°W 807m (2,648feet) + cratering, Only Chinese cratering test. - ! CHIC-13 07:00:?? Area D (Drop Area), Lop Nur, China ~ 41.5°N 88.5°W 807m (2,648feet) + air drop, tactical NW? (KB-1?) Air dropped from Qiang-5 attack jet. See story of launch:[11] - ! CHIC-14 06:00:?? Area D (Drop Area), Lop Nur, China ~ 41.5°N 88.5°W 807m (2,648feet) + air drop, Fizzled thermonuke. - ! (15) 03:59:46.29 Area D (Drop Area), Lop Nur, China 40.7985°N 89.8091°W 807m (2,648feet) + air drop, NGB/DF-3 warhead High altitude explosion. - ! (16) 05:59:52.72 Area D (Drop Area), Lop Nur, China 40.518°N 89.619°W 807m (2,648feet) + atmospheric, BM warhead ? - ! (17) 00:59:58.23 Area B (Qinggir), Lop Nur, China 41.375°N 88.326°W 1440m (4,720feet) + tunnel, In a tunnel in Bei Shan (North Mountain). - ! (18) 06:00:?? Area D (Drop Area), Lop Nur, China ~ 41.5°N 88.5°W 807m (2,648feet) + atmospheric, - ! (19) 06:00:?? Area D (Drop Area), Lop Nur, China ~ 41.5°N 88.5°W 807m (2,648feet) + atmospheric, Fizzle. - ! (20) 04:59:58.8 Area A (Nanshan), Lop Nur, China 41.716°N 88.3727°W + tunnel, - ! (21) 06:00:12.7 Area D (Drop Area), Lop Nur, China 40.696°N 89.627°W 807m (2,648feet) + air drop, DF-5 warhead ? Largest Chinese test. - ! (22) 07:00:?? Area D (Drop Area), Lop Nur, China ~ 41.5°N 88.5°W 807m (2,648feet) + atmospheric, - ! (23) 05:00:?? Area D (Drop Area), Lop Nur, China ~ 41.5°N 88.5°W 807m (2,648feet) + atmospheric, - ! (24) 00:59:58.01 Area C (Beishan), Lop Nur, China: N1 41.5398°N 88.767°W 1689m (5,541feet) + underground shaft, First test in a vertical shaft. - ! (25) Area D (Drop Area), Lop Nur, China ~ 41.5°N 88.5°W 807m (2,648feet) + atmospheric, - ! unnumbered failed test Area D (Drop Area), Lop Nur, China ~ 41.5°N 88.5°W 807m (2,648feet) + underground, - ! (26)
(aborted) 		Area D (Drop Area), Lop Nur, China ~ 41.5°N 88.5°W 807m (2,648feet) + parachuted, Parachute failure, bomb crashed without detonation. - ! (27) 04:30:29.67 Area D (Drop Area), Lop Nur, China 40.719°N 89.651°W 807m (2,648feet) + atmospheric, ballistic missile warhead ? Last atmospheric test in the world. - ! (28) Area D (Drop Area), Lop Nur, China ~ 41.5°N 88.5°W 807m (2,648feet) + underground, Attempted neutron bomb, fizzle. - ! (29) 04:59:57.82 Area A (Nanshan), Lop Nur, China 41.7227°N 88.3653°W + tunnel, Second attempt for neutron bomb, failure. - ! (30) 09:59:58.05 Area C (Beishan), Lop Nur, China: D1 41.5412°N 88.7207°W 1689m (5,541feet) + underground shaft, Third neutron bomb attempt, failure. - ! (31) 05:59:57.99 Area C (Beishan), Lop Nur, China 41.5709°N 88.7269°W 1689m (5,541feet) + underground shaft, Fourth neutron bomb attempt, failure. - ! (32) 05:59:58.34 Area A (Nanshan), Lop Nur, China 41.7167°N 88.3981°W + tunnel, Fifth neutron bomb test, successful. - ! (33) 04:59:58.26 Area C (Beishan), Lop Nur, China: J1 41.5534°N 88.7409°W 1689m (5,541feet) + underground shaft, Ju Lang-1 warhead ? Development of 2-300 kt warhead for JL-1 SLBM. - ! (34) 06:59:57.97 Area A (Nanshan), Lop Nur, China 41.725°N 88.3588°W + tunnel, tactical ERW ? Final proof test of neutron bomb. - ! (35) 07:59:57.94 Area C (Beishan), Lop Nur, China: C1 41.5648°N 88.7191°W 1689m (5,541feet) + underground shaft, Unknown test device. - ! (36) 04:59:57.7 Area C (Beishan), Lop Nur, China: M2 41.543°N 88.7336°W 1689m (5,541feet) + underground shaft, JL-1 warhead ? Development of 2-300 kt warhead for JL-1 SLBM. - ! (37) 04:59:57.45 Area C (Beishan), Lop Nur, China: N2 41.5437°N 88.7641°W 1689m (5,541feet) + underground shaft, ballistic missile warhead ? China's largest underground test. - ! (38) 07:59:58.47 Area A (Nanshan), Lop Nur, China 41.7167°N 88.3767°W + tunnel, Aspherical primary for DF-31; with this test stockpile development was reportedly complete. - ! unnumbered failed test Area D (Drop Area), Lop Nur, China ~ 41.5°N 88.5°W 807m (2,648feet) + underground, Test of insensitive high explosives in primary. - ! (39) 01:59:56.6 Area C (Beishan), Lop Nur, China: A2 41.59°N 88.7031°W 1689m (5,541feet) + underground shaft,
safety experiment 		DF-31 warhead ? Aspherical primary for DF-31. - ! (40) 06:25:57.9 Area C (Beishan), Lop Nur, China: O1 41.5287°N 88.7122°W 1689m (5,541feet) + underground shaft, DF-31 warhead ? Aspherical primary for DF-31. - ! (41) 03:25:58.1 Area C (Beishan), Lop Nur, China: H1 41.5734°N 88.7208°W 1689m (5,541feet) + underground shaft,
safety experiment 		DF-31 warhead ? Aspherical primary for DF-31. - ! (42) 04:05:57.8 Area C (Beishan), Lop Nur, China: K1 41.5524°N 88.7524°W 1689m (5,541feet) + underground shaft,
safety experiment 		DF-31 warhead ? Aspherical primary for DF-31. - ! (43) 00:59:57.7 Area C (Beishan), Lop Nur, China: L1 41.5398°N 88.7526°W 1689m (5,541feet) + underground shaft,
safety experiment 		DF-31 warhead ? Prompted Japanese Diet to lodge a protest and freeze grants to China. - ! (44) - 1 02:55:57.9 Area C (Beishan), Lop Nur, China: B1 41.5768°N 88.6873°W 1689m (5,541feet) + underground shaft, Test of insensitive high explosives in primary, DF-31 warhead. - ! (44) - 2 02:55:57.9 Area C (Beishan), Lop Nur, China: B1 41.5768°N 88.6873°W 1689m (5,541feet) + underground shaft, Test of insensitive high explosives in primary, DF-31 warhead. - ! (45) 01:48:57.8 Area A (Nanshan), Lop Nur, China 41.7161°N 88.3757°W + tunnel, Test of insensitive high explosives in primary, DF-31 warhead.

Summary

See also: List of nuclear weapons tests.

- !style="background:#ffdead;" Series or years !style="background:#efefef;" Years covered !style="background:#ffdead;" Tests[12] !style="background:#efefef;" Devices fired !style="background:#ffdead;" Devices with unknown yield !style="background:#efefef;" Peaceful use tests !style="background:#ffdead;" Non-PTBT tests[13] !style="background:#efefef;" class="unsortable" Yield range (kilotons) [14] !style="background:#ffdead;" Total yield (kilotons) [15] !style="background:#efefef; text-align:center;" class="unsortable" Notes - ! nuclear test 1964–1996 0 to 4,000 - class="sortbottom" !style="background:#efefef;" Totals 1964-Oct-16 to 1996-Jul-29 47 48 7 23 0 to 4,000 24,409 Total country yield is 4.5% of all nuclear testing.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: China's nuclear tests. Monterey Institute of International Studies. 15 August 2014. https://archive.today/20131205083146/http://cns.miis.edu/archive/country_china/coxrep/testlist.htm. 5 December 2013. dead. Discrepancies between this list and the list below include two unnumbered failed tests and a test that later was disclosed to be a salvo test of two devices.
  2. The US, France and Great Britain have code-named their test events, while the USSR and China did not, and therefore have only test numbers (with some exceptions – Soviet peaceful explosions were named). Word translations into English in parentheses unless the name is a proper noun. A dash followed by a number indicates a member of a salvo event. The US also sometimes named the individual explosions in such a salvo test, which results in "name1 – 1(with name2)". If test is canceled or aborted, then the row data like date and location discloses the intended plans, where known.
  3. Rough place name and a latitude/longitude reference; for rocket-carried tests, the launch location is specified before the detonation location, if known. Some locations are extremely accurate; others (like airdrops and space blasts) may be quite inaccurate. "~" indicates a likely pro-forma rough location, shared with other tests in that same area.
  4. Elevation is the ground level at the point directly below the explosion relative to sea level; height is the additional distance added or subtracted by tower, balloon, shaft, tunnel, air drop or other contrivance. For rocket bursts the ground level is "N/A". In some cases it is not clear if the height is absolute or relative to ground, for example, Plumbbob/John. No number or units indicates the value is unknown, while "0" means zero. Sorting on this column is by elevation and height added together.
  5. Atmospheric, airdrop, balloon, gun, cruise missile, rocket, surface, tower, and barge are all disallowed by the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. Sealed shaft and tunnel are underground, and remained useful under the PTBT. Intentional cratering tests are borderline; they occurred under the treaty, were sometimes protested, and generally overlooked if the test was declared to be a peaceful use.
  6. Include weapons development, weapon effects, safety test, transport safety test, war, science, joint verification and industrial/peaceful, which may be further broken down.
  7. Designations for test items where known, "?" indicates some uncertainty about the preceding value, nicknames for particular devices in quotes. This category of information is often not officially disclosed.
  8. Estimated energy yield in tons, kilotons, and megatons. A ton of TNT equivalent is defined as 4.184 gigajoules (1 gigacalorie).
  9. Radioactive emission to the atmosphere aside from prompt neutrons, where known. The measured species is only iodine-131 if mentioned, otherwise it is all species. No entry means unknown, probably none if underground and "all" if not; otherwise notation for whether measured on the site only or off the site, where known, and the measured amount of radioactivity released.
  10. In 1969 the date was identified as 13 May 1965 byan Australian journalist who described the first seven of China's nuclear tests. See: News: The first Western look at the secret H-bomb centre in China. The Toronto Star. August 9, 1969. 10. Francis James. . Or see the related article in The Sunday Times of June 15, 1969.
  11. Web site: Recalling the H-Bomb that Almost Backfired – Yang Guoxiang, one of China's top test pilots, tells the story . Air & Space Magazine . August 2009 . Bob Bergin . 3 July 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150704123347/http://www.airspacemag.com/as-interview/a-amp-s-interview-yang-guoxiang-10170841/ . 4 July 2015 . live .
  12. Includes all tests with potential for nuclear fission or fusion explosion, including combat use, singleton tests, salvo tests, zero yield fails, safety experiments, and bombs incapacitated by accidents but still intended to be fired. It does not include hydronuclear and subcritical tests, and misfires of a device which was subsequently fired successfully.
  13. Number of tests which would have been in violation of the Partial Test Ban Treaty of 1963, such as atmospheric, space or underwater tests. Some "peaceful use" cratering tests which should have been violations were protested, and later quietly dropped.
  14. "Small" refers to a value greater than zero but less than 0.5 kt.
  15. Some yields are described like "< 20 kt"; such are scored at one half of the numeric amount, i.e., yield of 10k in this example. "Unknown yield" adds nothing to the total.

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