The body-stabilized Boeing 601 satellite is one of the best-selling spacecraft models in the world. More than 80 have been delivered to customers around the world since it was introduced in 1987 to meet anticipated requirements for high-power, multiple-payload satellites. It was designed for such applications as direct television broadcasting to small receiving antennas, very small aperture terminals for private business networks and mobile communications. The 601 was originally developed by Hughes Space & Communications, which Boeing acquired in 2000.

A more powerful version, the Boeing 601HP, made its debut in 1995. The HP versions can accommodate payloads twice as powerful as the classic Boeing 601 models. They feature such innovations as gallium arsenide solar cells, advanced battery technology, and an optional xenon
ion propulsion system.

The Boeing 601 body is composed of two modules: (1) The primary structure, which carries all launch vehicle loads and contains the propulsion subsystem, bus electronics and battery packs. (2) A structure of honeycomb shelves that hold the communications equipment, electronics and isothermal heat pipes.

MSAT M2, the last active Boeing 601 Classic commercial satellite, successfully completed its retirement reorbit July 2024.