NEW LAUNCH POSITION IDENTIFIED WUZHAI SSM R/D/TNG LAUNCH SITE A1/A2/A3/A4, CHINA (SANITIZED)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP84T00171R000200190001-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 10, 2012
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: August 10, 1983
• Content Type: REPORT

Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/10: CIA-RDP84T00171 R000200190001-0
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Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/10: CIA-RDP84T00171 R000200190001-0
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Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/10: CIA-RDP84T00171 R000200190001-0
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/10: CIA-RDP84T00171 R000200190001-0
 25X1
Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/10: CIA-RDP84T00171 R000200190001-0
Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/10: CIA-RDP84T00171 R000200190001-0
 Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/10: CIA-RDP84T00171 R000200190001-0
SECRET
(c) NATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHIC INTERPRETATION CENTER
Page 1 of 2 Attachment to Z-13809/83
Copy
NEW LAUNCH POSITION IDENTIFIED
WUZHAI SSM R/D/TNG LAUNCH SITE /A4, CHINA
NPIC/IEG (08/83)
10 AUGUST 1983
1. SIGINIFICANCE: THE LAYOUT AND SIZE OF THE NEW LAUNCH POSITION INDICATES
THAT TESFING OF A LAND-BASED VERSION OF THE CSS-NX-3 IS ABOUT TO BEGIN.
(SWN)
2. REMARKS: A NEW LAUNCH POSITION, DESIGNATED A4, HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AT
WUZHATSSM RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT/TRAINING LAUNCH SITE Al/A2/A3. LAUNCH
SQUARE LAUNCH PAD WITH A LOADING APRON
IT IS LOCATED 25.0 METERS NORTH OF
LAUNCH POSITION A3, AT THE EDGE OF THE CIRCULAR A3 APRON. THE LAYOUT AND
SIZE OF THE NEW LAUNCH POSITION INDICATES THAT IT WILL BE A PROTOTYPE
LAUNCH SITE FOR A LAND-BASED VERSION OF THE SOLID-PROPELLENT CSS-NX-3.
(SWN
25X1
25X1
CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW LAUNCH POSITION BEGANI I ON 25X1
EXCAVATION WAS OBSERVED AT THE EDGE OF THE 25X1
APRON FOR LAUNCH POSITION A3. THIS EXCAVATION WAS SMALLER THAN THE
EXCAVATION OBSERVED DURING THE CONSTRUCTION OF LAUNCH POSITION A3 IN
AUGUST 1978. THE NEW LAUNCH POSITION WAS COVERED WITI'I A 25X1
CONCRETE EXTENSION TO THE A3 APRON. A CABLE TRENCH AND AT 25X1
LEAST THREE ANn POSSIBLY FOUR LAUNCH STAND TIE-DOWN POINTS COULD BE
DISCERNED. TWO PROBABLE UMBILICAL TOWERS HAD BEEN INSTALLED 25X1
NEXT TO THE NEW LAUNCH POSITION. THREE CAMERA/INSTRUMENTATION POSITIONS
HAVE BEEN CONSTRUCTED NEARBY. ALSO, ONE NEW LIGHT STANDARD HAS BEEN
INSTALLED, AND ONE OF THE OLD LIGHT STANDARDS HAS BEEN MOVED TO WHERE IT
IS OUTSIDE THE APRON EXTENSION. A NEW LOADING APRON,
22.0 METERS LONG WAS CONSTRUCTED 25X1
FOR POSITION A4. THE FORMER A3 LOADING APRON WAS OBLITERATED BY THE
CONSTRUCTION OF POSITION A4. A NEW LOADING APRON HAS BEEN CONSTRUCTED
FOR POSITION A3, DIRECTLY OPPOSITE THE NEW A4 LOADING APRON. (SWN)
These notes have been prepared for briefing purposes only and should not be used for detailed analytical work.
Their use should be restricted to the particular briefing board(s) they were prepared for and must be considered
valid only for the reporting period as indicated by the date of issue.
WARNING NOTICE
INTELLIa ENCI: SOURCES
OR METHODS INVOLVED
SECRET
Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/10: CIA-RDP84T00171 R000200190001-0
 Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/10: CIA-RDP84T00171 R000200190001-0
SECRET
(c) NATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHIC INTERPRETATION CENTER
Page 2 of
Copy
Attachment to
Z-13809/83
ANALYST'S COMMENTS -- IN ADDITION TO THE SIZE AND LAYOUT OF THE NEW
LAUNCH POSITION SEVERAL OTHER CONSIDERATIONS SUGGEST THAT IT MAY BE USED
FOR FUTURE TESTING OF THE CSS-NX-3, OR A LAND-BASED VERSION OF THAT
MISSILE. FIRST, IT IS UNLIKELY THAT A NEW LAUNCH POSITION WOULD BE
CONSTRUCTED FOR THE CSS-2, THE ONLY OTHER MISSILE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS
LAUNCH FACILITY. THE CSS-2 IS A PROVEN, OPERATIONAL MISSILE, WELL BEYOND
THE FLIGHT TEST PHASE. SECOND, THE CHANGE IN LOADING AZIMUTH BETWEEN THE
OLD POSITION A3 LOADING APRON AND THE POSITION A4 LOADING APRON IS ALMOST
THE SAME AS THAT BETWEEN THE POSITION Al LOADING APRON AND THE
ORIENTATION OF THE MODIFIED SRBM TRANSPORTER/ERECTOR (T/E) USED DURING
THE 1981 CSS-NX-3 SURFACE-LAUNCH FLIGHT TESTS. THE LOADING AZIMUTH AT
POSITION Al IS 231 DEGREES. HO CSS-NX-3 ASSOCIATE D BM T/F.
WAS MATED WITH THE LAUNCH STAND 25X1
THE ORIENTATION OF THE T/E'WAS PROBABLY RELATED TO THE 25X1
MISSILE LAUNCH AZIMUTH EVEN THOUGH THE T/E WAS USED AS A SERVICE TOWER,
RATHER THAN TO ACTUALLY ERECT THE CSS-NX-3 MISSILE. SIMILARLY, THE OLD
POSITION A3 LOADING AZIMUTH WAS 220 DEGREES, WHILE THE POSITION A4
NEVERTHELESS, THE AZIMUTHS AT POSITION Al DO NOT CORRESPOND TO THOSE AT
POSITIONS A3 AND A4. ANALYSIS ON THE LAUNCH POSITION WILL CONTINUE.
(SWN)
3.I I COORDINATES 38-50-O1N 111-36-17E (S)
These notes have been prepared for briefing purposes only and should not be used for detailed analytical work.
Their use should be restricted to the particular briefing board(s) they were prepared for and must be considered
Ivalid only for the reporting period as indicated by the date of issue.
WARNING NOTICE
INTELLIOI:NCE SOURCES
OR METHODS INVOLVED
SECRET
25X1
25X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/10: CIA-RDP84T00171 R000200190001-0