ChinaSat-5

The DFH-3 satellite is a medium-capacity geostationary communications satellite based on the DFH-3 Bus (three-axis-stabilized telecommunications satellite platform). The 2200 kg satellite carries 24 C-band transponders, providing six television channels and 18 communications transmission channels. It has a power supply of 2 kW and a design life of 8 years. On 29 November, DFH-3 1 was launched, entering GTO precisely as planned. Unfortunately, however, the apogee kick stage malfunctioned, causing Chinese officials to use the spacecraft's propulsion system to lift the vehicle into a sub-geosynchronous orbit where the spacecraft was declared lost.