| Prime contractor | Hughes |
| Platform | HS-376 |
| Mass at launch | 1250 kg |
| Dry mass | 540 kg |
| Mass in orbit | 655 kg |
| Diameter | 2.16 m |
| Height | 6.3 m (2.84 m stowed) |
| Stabilization | Spin stabilized |
| DC power | 1000 W |
| Design lifetime | 7 years (10 for the A3) |
| Receiver bandwidth | 30 MHz |
| Peak to peak deviation | 22.3 MHz/V |