# Dongfanghong-2A 5

> Chinese communications satellite, lost due to a launch failure

**Wikidata**: [Q18327644](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q18327644)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/dongfanghong-2a-5

## Summary  
Dongfanghong-2A 5 (also known as DFH-2A 5 or ChinaSat 4) was a Chinese communications satellite that was lost due to a launch failure in 1991. It was part of the Dong Fang Hong series and operated under the Chinasat program. The satellite was intended to support telecommunications but never reached orbit.

## Key Facts  
- **Launch Date**: December 28, 1991  
- **Launch Vehicle**: Long March 3 rocket  
- **Launch Site**: Xichang Satellite Launch Center, China  
- **Mission Outcome**: Failed during launch  
- **Alternative Names**: Shiyan Tongbu Tongxing Weixing 5 (STTW 5), PRC 34, Zhongxing 4 (ZX 4), ChinaSat 4  
- **Satellite Catalog Number (SCN)**: 21833  
- **COSPAR ID**: 1991-088A  
- **Country of Origin**: People's Republic of China  
- **Satellite Model**: Dong Fang Hong 2  

## FAQs  
### Q: What was the purpose of Dongfanghong-2A 5?  
A: It was a communications satellite designed to support telecommunications as part of China's Chinasat program.  

### Q: Why did Dongfanghong-2A 5 fail?  
A: The satellite was lost due to a launch failure of the Long March 3 rocket on December 28, 1991.  

### Q: What other names is Dongfanghong-2A 5 known by?  
A: It is also referred to as DFH-2A 5, STTW 5, PRC 34, Zhongxing 4, and ChinaSat 4.  

## Why It Matters  
Dongfanghong-2A 5 represents an early effort by China to expand its telecommunications capabilities through satellite technology. Although the mission failed, it highlights the challenges faced during the development of China's space program in the 1990s. The satellite was part of the broader Dong Fang Hong series, which laid the groundwork for China's later advancements in communications satellites. Its loss underscores the risks inherent in space launches and the iterative process of technological improvement in aerospace engineering.  

## Notable For  
- **Launch Failure**: One of the few documented failures in the Dong Fang Hong series.  
- **Multiple Identifiers**: Known by several names across different naming conventions (e.g., STTW 5, ChinaSat 4).  
- **Early Chinese Telecom Effort**: Part of China's early attempts to establish a domestic communications satellite network.  

## Body  
### Launch Details  
- **Date**: December 28, 1991  
- **Rocket**: Long March 3  
- **Site**: Xichang Satellite Launch Center  

### Satellite Specifications  
- **Model**: Dong Fang Hong 2  
- **Programs**: Dong Fang Hong series, Chinasat  

### Mission Outcome  
- The satellite failed to reach orbit due to a launch vehicle malfunction.  
- No operational use was achieved.  

### Alternate Names  
- STTW 5 (Shiyan Tongbu Tongxing Weixing 5)  
- PRC 34  
- Zhongxing 4 (ZX 4)  
- ChinaSat 4  

### Catalog Identifiers  
- **SCN**: 21833  
- **COSPAR ID**: 1991-088A

## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report