The XTAR-EUR spacecraft and payload will be operated from an existing Loral facility located at Hawley, Pennsylvania, and backed-up by Loral’s Mt. Jackson, Virginia telemetry, tracking and control (TT&C) station. Both sites, geographically separated for additional security, function as fully operational ground stations.

The XTAR satellites are capable of simultaneous command and ranging. Ranging accuracy on both spacecraft will maintain a synchronous, circular, equatorial orbit station to ±0.05° in orbit inclination and ±0.05° in longitude at the equatorial crossing. The attitude determination and control system will maintain the spacecraft attitude to within 0.02° in roll, pitch, and yaw. The satellites are designed to function properly during all operational phases with up to 3° of orbital inclination.

The XTAR-EUR and XTAR-LANT (SPAINSAT) satellites will be controlled and monitored by two independent Ground Control Systems (GCS): Hawley, Pennsylvania and Madrid, Spain, respectively. Both GCSs are internally redundant including backup TC&R antennas and wide geographic separation. Through operational agreements between XTAR and HISDESAT, the two companies have agreed to provide a third level of backup by sharing resources during emergency operations.