The 350 kg (770 lb) BSE was followed in 1984 and 1986 by the operational and essentially identical BS-2a and BS-2b satellites, respectively.
Each spacecraft carried two active and one spare 100 W. 14/12 GHz transponder.
Built by EURO with assistance from ASR, the BS-2 series satellites were designed for five years of operation.
At the time, direct satellite TV reception (DTH) was obtainable with a small parabolic antenna 40 cm to 60 cm in diameter in all areas of Japan when broadcast from a geostationary earth orbit (GEO) at 110 degrees east longitude.
After the first successful test of satellite broadcasting with a TV signal, many Japanese producers of consumer electronics began to deliver a range of equipment with built-in satellite receivers for the local consumer market.