The satellite was designed and manufactured by Lockheed Martin Space on the LM-2100 platform, and was launched on 18 February 2020 on an Ariane 5.

Utilizing several S-band transponders with a flexible processor, the satellite has the capability to redirect communications capacity to concentrate on disaster relief efforts or other high-volume events.

[4] On 3 February 2016, SKY Perfect JSAT awarded Lockheed Martin Space Systems a contract to build JCSAT-17 using a modernized variant of the A2100 satellite bus.

On 4 January 2017, SKY Perfect JSAT announced it had contracted Arianespace to launch JCSAT-17 on an Ariane 5 ECA.

[8] Once in orbit, the new satellite unfurled a 18-metre-diameter S-band mesh communications antenna made by L3Harris Technologies, formerly known as Harris Corp., of Melbourne, Florida.