Dong Fang Hong 2 (also romanised as Dongfanghong 2) was the primary television satellite used by China during the later part of the 20th century.
[1] Operating under the name Dong Fang Hong 2, the Shiyong Tongbu Tongxing Weixing (STTW, Chinese: 實用定位通訊衛星, literally Operational Geostationary Communications Satellite) was the designation of a family of indigenous Chinese communications satellites developed under the Project 331 initiative of the late 1970s and early 1980s.
[2] Being able to provide both civilian and military long distance telephony, in addition to satellite television, the initiative was promoted by the senior Chinese leadership, most notably Deng Xiaoping and Zhou Enlai,[2] as a means to improve the communications infrastructure of the country, especially in mountainous and hard to reach areas.
[2] In order to achieve a geostationary orbit, in addition to the normal three stages of the Long March 3, the STTW required a small solid propellant apogee kick motor.
[2] As part of the development program two proof of technology demonstrators were launched (Shiyan Tongbu Tongxing Weixing, "Test Geostationary Communications Satellite").