At launch it had a mass of approximately 4,635 kilograms (10,218 lb), with a design life of 15 years.

[1] Its 34-metre (112 ft) solar arrays will generate a minimum of 6 kilowatts[2] to power its UHF and X-band communications systems.

[3] Skynet 5B was launched by an Ariane 5ECA carrier rocket flying from ELA-3 at Kourou.

[4][5] Star One C1 was launched aboard the same carrier rocket; Skynet 5B was mounted atop a Sylda 5 adaptor, with Star One C1 attached to the upper stage underneath the Sylda.

[2] The launch placed Skynet 5B into a 250 by 35,786 kilometres (155 by 22,236 mi) geosynchronous transfer orbit with 6 degrees of inclination.