the t-7 was china's first sounding rocket. a test rocket, dubbed the t-7m, was first successfully launched on 19 february 1960 in nanhui, shanghai, and a full-scale rocket was launched on 13 september 1960. wang xiji of the shanghai institute of mechanical and electrical engineering was the chief designer. twenty-four t-7 rockets were launched between 1960 and 1965, and it was retired after a final launch in 1969.