List of TDRS satellites

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Location of TDRS as of 26 May 2020
Location of TDRS as of March 2019

This is a list of Tracking and Data Relay Satellites. TDRS spacecraft are all in geostationary orbit and are operated by the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and are used for communication between NASA facilities and spacecraft,[1] including the Space Shuttle, Hubble Space Telescope, and International Space Station.

As of 1 March 2019, 12 of the TDRS satellites launched were operational, two (TDRS-3, TDRS-5) had been placed in storage, two (TDRS-1 and TDRS-4) had been retired, and one (TDRS-B) had been lost in a launch failure.[2][3][4]

Satellites[]

Designation Launch (UTC) Rocket Launch Site Longitude Status Retirement Remarks
Launch Operational

First generation[]

TDRS-A TDRS-1 4 April 1983
18:30:00[5]		 Space Shuttle Challenger/IUS
(STS-6)[6]		 Kennedy, LC-39A 41° W, 62° W, 171° W Retired[4] 27 June 2010[7] IUS malfunctioned, raised orbit using maneuvering thrusters. End of life October 2009.[8]
Placed in a graveyard orbit on 27 June 2010.[4]
TDRS-B N/A 28 January 1986
16:38:00[5]		 Space Shuttle Challenger/IUS
(STS-51-L)		 Kennedy, LC-39B N/A Destroyed 28 January 1986
16:39:13		 Launch failure
Shuttle disintegrated during ascent
TDRS-C TDRS-3 29 September 1988
15:37:00[5]		 Space Shuttle Discovery/IUS
(STS-26R)[6]		 Kennedy, LC-39B 62° W[4] In storage[4] December 2011[9]
TDRS-D TDRS-4 13 March 1989
14:57:00[5]		 Space Shuttle Discovery/IUS
(STS-29R)[6]		 Kennedy, LC-39B Retired[4] April/May 2012[10] Placed in a graveyard orbit.[4]
TDRS-E TDRS-5 2 August 1991
15:02:00[5]		 Space Shuttle Atlantis/IUS
(STS-43)[6]		 Kennedy, LC-39A 167° W[4] In storage[4]
TDRS-F TDRS-6 13 January 1993
13:59:30[5]		 Space Shuttle Endeavour/IUS
(STS-54)[6]		 Kennedy, LC-39B 46° W[4] Active[4]
TDRS-G TDRS-7 13 July 1995
13:41:55[5]		 Space Shuttle Discovery/IUS
(STS-70)		 Kennedy, LC-39B 85° E[4] Active[4] Replaced TDRS-B

Second generation[]

TDRS-H TDRS-8 30 June 2000
12:56[5]		 Atlas IIA Canaveral, SLC-36A 89° E[4] Active[4]
TDRS-I TDRS-9 8 March 2002
22:59[5]		 Atlas IIA Canaveral, SLC-36A 12° W[4] Active[4]
TDRS-J TDRS-10 5 December 2002
02:42[5]		 Atlas IIA Canaveral, SLC-36A 171° W[11] Active[4]

Third generation[]

TDRS-K TDRS-11 31 January 2013
01:48:00		 Atlas V 401 Canaveral, SLC-41 174° W[11] Active[4] USD$350 million cost, paid to Boeing under a firm-fixed price (FFP) contract.[12]
TDRS-L TDRS-12 24 January 2014
02:33:00[13]		 Atlas V 401 Canaveral, SLC-41 41° W[4] Active[4] USD$350 million cost, FFP contract.[12]
TDRS-M TDRS-13 18 August 2017
12:29:00 [14]		 Atlas V 401[14] Canaveral, SLC-41[14] 49° W Active USD$289 million firm-fixed-price contract option with Boeing; option exercised in November 2011, ahead of expiry on 30 November 2012.[12]
TDRS-N Option not exercised[15][16]
Animation of TDRS-8 - TDRS-13
Oblique view
Oblique view - Earth fixed frame
   Earth ·   TDRS-8  ·   TDRS-9  ·   TDRS-10  ·   TDRS-11  ·   TDRS-12  ·   TDRS-13

References[]

  1. ^ "NASA'S Tracking and Data Relay Satellite". NASA Facts Online. December 1992. Archived from the original on 2013-03-05. Retrieved 2009-06-25. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  2. ^ "Northrop Grumman-Built TDRS-1 Satellite Reaches 25 Years of Operational Success and Sets New Standard for Longevity, Reliability". Reuters. 2008-04-07. Archived from the original on 2012-09-07. Retrieved 2009-06-25.
  3. ^ "TDRS: 25 Years of Connecting Space To Earth". NASA. 2008-05-16. Retrieved 2009-06-25. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u "Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) Fleet". NASA. 30 July 2015. Retrieved 25 December 2016. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 2009-06-25.
  6. ^ a b c d e "NASA'S Tracking and Data Relay Satellite". NASA Facts Online. December 1992. Archived from the original on 2013-02-17. Retrieved 2009-06-25. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  7. ^ http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2010/jun/10-154_TDRS_Retirement.html Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  8. ^ "TDRS-1 Satellite Reaches 25 Years Of Age". Space Mart. 2008-04-08. Retrieved 2009-06-24.
  9. ^ "Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS)". NASA. 13 November 2013. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
  10. ^ "TDRS-4 Mission Complete; Spacecraft Retired From Active Service". NASA. 8 May 2012. Retrieved 11 May 2012. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  11. ^ a b http://celestrak.com/NORAD/elements/tdrss.txt
  12. ^ a b c "TDRS-K Launch Caught Up In Cascade of Florida Delays". Space News. 2012-11-02. Archived from the original on February 2, 2013. Retrieved 2012-11-05.
  13. ^ Graham, William (23 January 2014). "ULA opens 2014 campaign with Atlas V launch of TDRS-L". NASASpaceflight.com. Retrieved 23 February 2014.
  14. ^ a b c "Spaceflight Now Launch Schedule". SpaceflightNow.com. Retrieved 17 August 2017.
  15. ^ Leone, Dan (12 March 2014). "NASA Wants Laser Communications for TDRS Follow-on, Needs Industry Money First". SpaceNews.com. Retrieved 11 April 2017.
  16. ^ Krebs, Gunter. "TDRS 11, 12, 13". Retrieved 11 April 2017.
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