The Intelsat VI series was constructed by Hughes Aircraft, based on the HS-389 satellite bus.
[2] Intelsat 601 was launched at 23:08:08 UTC on 29 October 1991, atop an Ariane 4 carrier rocket in the 44L configuration, flight number V47.
Its final operations for Intelsat were conducted at 63.5 degrees east, where it arrived in November 2006.
In October 2007 it was transferred to Europe*Star, and relocated to 47.5 degrees East, arriving in November.
The satellite was retired from service and placed into a graveyard orbit in October 2011.