Sapphire was commissioned and integrated by MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates (MDA) based on an SSTL-150[3] bus produced by Surrey Satellite Technology (SSTL) and an optical payload produced by COM DEV International.

The satellite has been providing data to the United States Space Surveillance Network since January 2014.

[4] The satellite has a mass of 148 kilograms (326 lb), and carries a three-mirror anastigmat to track artificial objects in medium Earth orbit to geosynchronous Earth orbit.

[6] The optical system is based on the design of the Space-Based Visible (SBV) sensor.

[8] Sapphire was launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), using a PSLV-CA rocket, flight C20.