ChinaSat-22 (ZX-22 / FengHuo-1A) Satellite Overview

ChinaSat-22, also known as Zhongxing-22 (ZX-22) and FengHuo-1A (FH-1A), is a Chinese military communications satellite operated by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). It was launched on January 25, 2000, aboard a Long March 3A (CZ-3A) rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center.

Built by the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST), the satellite is based on an early generation Chinese communications satellite platform and was designed to provide secure military communications, including voice, data, and strategic command links.

The satellite forms part of the FengHuo (FH) military satellite communications system, which supports the PLA’s need for reliable, encrypted communications across China and surrounding regions. Operating in geostationary orbit (GEO), the satellite enables continuous coverage and plays a key role in China’s early military space communications infrastructure.

ChinaSat-22 represents one of the foundational satellites in China’s secure military communications network, paving the way for more advanced FengHuo and ChinaSat satellites with enhanced capacity and modernized technologies.