Along with the Hispasat 1A, the satellite covered communications over the American Continent for both civilian and military customers.

It consisted on a box shaped metal casing (1.7 x 1.9 x 2.21 meters) with retractable solar panels on the lateral faces (when extended measured 22.02 m) and space for the communications module on the upper and lower faces.

[6] The satellite was propulsed by a R-4D-11 hypergolic engine (originally developed by Marquardt Corporation for its use in the Apollo program).

[7][8] The satellite offered both civilian and military communication channels for its customers.

Its operating life officially ended in 2003 although some of its transponders remained active until 6 June 2006 when the satellite was definitely moved to a graveyard orbit.