Intelsat VA F-12 was part of an advanced series of satellites designed to provide greater telecommunications capacity for Intelsat's global network.
The arrays, supplemented by nickel-hydrogen batteries during eclipse, provided 1800 watts of power at mission onset, approximately 1280 watts at the end of its seven-year design life.
It could accommodate 15,000 two-way voice circuits and two TV channels simultaneously.
It also provided maritime communications for ships at sea.
[4] The satellite was successfully launched into space on 29 September 1985, at 23:36:00 UTC, by means of an Atlas G-Centaur D1AR vehicle from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, United States.