The agency was tasked with promoting and developing satellite projects, and implementing their application in education, health and weather forecasting programs.

[1][2] The ABE began with a modest initial budget of US$1 million, with the Bolivian government planning to seek further funding through donations and loans from China and other countries.

The communications satellite was named for Túpac Katari, an 18th-century Aymara native who led a rebellion against the Spanish Empire.

[1][2][5] The director of the Bolivian Space Agency, Iván Zambrana, reported in 2018 that the satellite's services had raised over US$80 million in the first four years of operation.

According to Zambrana, this amount of revenue exceeded the agency's expectations, and would allow the satellite to be fully paid off within fifteen years.