ChinaSat-6A satellite was ordered as SinoSat-6 with Chinese satellite manufacturer CAST, and is operated by satellite operator ChinaSat. The satellite is based on the DFH-4 platform embarks a hybrid communications payload made up of 24 C-band, 8 Ku-band and 1 S-band active transponders to provide telecommunication services to China, Mongolia, the Korean Peninsula, Japan, Russia, parts of Asia, South Asia, South-East Asia, Central Asia, West Asia, Australia and New Zealand. The spacecraft has a 15-year design lifetime and a 5,000 kg launch mass.

The ChinaSat-6A satellite was launched on September 5^th, 2010 on a Long March 3B (CZ-3B) rocket operated by launch operator CGWIC, from the Xichang LA-2 launch base.

After launch, the satellite developed a leakage in the helium pressurization system, which will probably lead to a significant reduction of the operational life.