On this day, 45 years ago, on May 18, 1980 (April 5, 1980, the lunar calendar), China launched its first intercontinental missile. Ocean-going survey ships extend the missile's range. On May 18, 1980, China realized their dreams in the South Pacific. At 10 a.m. on May 18, 1980, China's first intercontinental missile was successfully launched and flew rapidly towards the predetermined sea area at a speed of 20 times exceeding the speed of sound. "Radar, telemetry, and theodolite detect the target. About half an hour later, exciting news came from the ocean-going survey ship. After a while, a bright spot emerged from the clouds. The bright spots are getting bigger and bigger. When a few kilometers above the sea surface, the data cabin containing important missile flight parameters automatically shoots out of the missile's head, opens the parachute, and slowly falls to the ocean surface. Fluorescent dyes dye the blue sea water green. Every link became busy immediately. The helicopter quickly measured the coordinates of the data cabin, and our guided missile destroyer and a speedboat that were on standby nearby immediately drove towards the landing area. The salvage helicopter that was circling in the air received an order from the salvage captain, turned its nose and flew towards the landing point, and hovered vertically in the air 30 meters above the ocean surface. Navy diver Liu Zhiyong slowly descended by steel cables. He grabbed the hook with one hand and hit the water with the other hand. In a few clicks, he grabbed the data cabin. The entire salvage process took only 5 minutes and 20 seconds. Just as the data cabin was ejected, the rocket's hair shone with extremely dazzling light and plunged into the sea. Immediately, the seawater boiled like a pot, and the water vapor rose with the stirred water column nearly 200 meters high and about 30 meters in diameter, forming a huge water vapor mist. The spectacular scene was like the mushroom cloud formed after the explosion of an atomic bomb. A tugboat 8 kilometers away was tilted nearly 50 degrees by the huge waves. At the same time, four survey ships reported the landing points to the headquarters. After calculation, the falling point error is only 250 meters, far lower than the two-kilometer error index proposed by the missile development department. From taking off from the desert in the northwest border of my country to splashing down in the isolated sea of the South Pacific, for an intercontinental missile flying more than 9000 kilometers, this shooting accuracy is equivalent to hitting a table tennis ball a thousand meters away with a rifle or hitting a mosquito a hundred meters away. It worked! The successful development of intercontinental missiles by China entirely relied on their own efforts and solemnly declared to the world: China's strategic weapons capabilities have reached the practical stage, and China's missile range test capabilities, measurement, control, and communication capabilities have also been improved to a new level!