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Note: while a TDRSS satellite is in the manufacturing process it is given a letter designation, but once it has successfully achieved the correct geosynchronous orbit it is referred to with a number (for example, TDRS-A during development and before on-orbit acceptance, and TDRS-1 after acceptance on
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and uncrewed satellites in low-Earth orbits. The primary system design goal was to increase the amount of time that these spacecraft were in communication with the ground and improve the amount of data that could be transferred. These TDRSS satellites are all designed and built to be launched to and
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that go to and from the tracking and data relay satellites go by way of these terminals at the White Sands
Complex. At first, just one large ground terminal system for the TDRSS was designed and built. However, some years later, due to increased user demand
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368:(2nd gen only) electronic communication systems hardware that operate at different carrier frequencies and also support various data-rates. The newer Boeing satellites are able to support more communications than the older TRW-built satellites.
84:
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TDRSS was originally intended to support satellites with apogees below 12,000 km. Spacecraft in the TDRSS require only one communications system, since ground-based telemetry stations will be compatible with TDRSS equipment.
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ordered the design and construction of a second ground terminal system about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) away. Thus, there are now two functionally identical and redundant satellite ground terminals there, which are known as the
255:"Working solo, TDRS-1 provided more communication coverage, in support of the September 1983 Shuttle mission, than the entire network of NASA tracking stations had provided in all previous Shuttle missions."
193:. The contract for TDRS versions L & K was awarded to Boeing on December 20, 2007. On November 30, 2011, NASA announced the decision to order an additional third-generation TDRS satellite,
189:. TDRS-1 was decommissioned in October 2009. TDRS-4 was decommissioned in December 2011. Ten TDRSS satellites are currently in service. All of the TDRSS satellites have been managed by NASA's
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TDRS-A was the first of TDRSS multiple satellite tracking system. The system is a concept utilizing communication satellite technology that improves and economizes the satellite tracking and
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708:(one a standby) track and receive data from satellites for relay to a ground station. The two primary active satellites are separated in orbit by at least 130 degrees longitude.
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mission in
January 1986. The next five TRW-built TDRSS satellites were successfully launched on other Space Shuttles. Three follow-up Boeing-built satellites were launched by
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orbit; by late 1997 the orbit had changed to the point that the satellite was able to see the South Pole, and an uplink/downlink station was installed at
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suffered a failure that caused it not to deliver the TDRS to the correct orbit. As a result, it was necessary to command the satellite to use its onboard
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orbit and put into operational use). Thus, satellites that are lost in launch failures or have massive malfunctions are never numbered.
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Space
Network Ground Segment Sustainment (SGSS) Mission System Requirements Document (MSRD). Section 3.5. NASA/GSFC: November 21, 2008
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The launch of TDRS-K begins the replenishment of the fleet through the development and deployment of the next generation spacecraft.
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The communications systems of the TDRSS satellites were designed to support multiple missions at the same time. Each satellite has
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161:. This system was designed to replace an existing worldwide network of ground stations that had supported all of NASA's
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below 2000 km (the great majority of satellites), and the other for those with higher apogees. Use of operating
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This visualization begins by showing how a typical spacecraft (NIMBUS-7) communicated with the ground before TDRS.
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and other United States government agencies for communications to and from independent "User
Platforms" such as
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system (BRTS) provides tracking support for TDRS spacecraft. BRTS consists of four sites located at
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to move it into its correct orbit. This expenditure of fuel reduced its capability to remain in a
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in
January 1998; TDRS-1 was an important communication uplink for Antarctic research until 2009.
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in 2000 and 2002. A NASA Press
Release summarized the capabilities of the system as a whole:
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993:"NASA Exercises Contract Option For TDRS-M Satellite Decision Will Retain Hundreds of Jobs"
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Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.
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division. Thirteen satellites have been launched; however, one was destroyed in the
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Visualization depicting TDRS satellites communicating with customer satellites.
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Katherine
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The first tracking and data relay satellite was launched in 1983 on the
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Christyl
Johnson (Deputy Director, Technology and Research Investments)
1060:"NASA Goddard TDRS Radio Frequency Systems (need Adobe Acrobat Reader)"
899:"Breaking News | NASA retires 'queen' of tracking satellite fleet"
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that was to take the satellite from
Challenger's orbit to its ultimate
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The second tracking and data relay satellite was destroyed along with
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corporation. The three later versions have been manufactured by the
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The first generation of TDRS are planned to be retired in 2015.
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1029:"NASA – Pioneer NASA Spacecraft Celebrates 20 Years of Service"
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NASA's
Goddard Space Flight Center Space Network Official Page
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Sub-section source: NSSDC Master Catalog Display: Spacecraft
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946:"NASA – Top Story – TDRS 20th Anniversary – April 03, 2003"
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NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center TDRS K/L Official Page
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are located at NASA White Sands Complex, which is in the
1087:. Spacecomm.nasa.gov. November 13, 2013. Archived from
1085:"Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) | NASA"
968:"Boeing to build NASA tracking, data relay satellites"
924:"Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) | NASA"
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A first-generation TDRS satellite on display at the
173:The first seven TDRSS satellites were built by the
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57:"TDRS" redirects here. For the record label, see
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711:One system is used for tracking satellites with
1503:Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRS)
808:TDRS-K prior to launch at Kennedy Space Center.
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66:Inter-satellite radiocommunication satellite
1450:Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility (CSBF)
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1445:Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS)
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1602:Ray Rubilotta (Associate Center Director)
1533:Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO)
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1221:Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System
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378:Section source: NASA TDRSS official site
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275:area. All radioed commands and received
143:Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System
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64:For broader coverage of this topic, see
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297:Bilateration ranging transponder system
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1135:. Nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov. August 16, 2013
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926:. Spacecomm.nasa.gov. October 22, 2019
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1133:"NASA – NSSDC – Spacecraft – Details"
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387:Second generation TDRS: models H to J
1528:Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (CGRO)
390:Third generation TDRS: models K to M
384:First generation TDRS: models A to G
15:
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13:
1553:Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO)
1538:Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE)
1175:NASA's TDRSS program overview page
842:Indian Data Relay Satellite System
723:and near 14.3 (plus or minus 0.9)
688:
14:
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1694:Tracking and Data Relay Satellite
1568:Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope
1563:James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)
1513:Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE)
1455:Spacecraft Magnetic Test Facility
1232:Tracking and data relay satellite
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234:Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station
159:Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station
131:tracking and data relay satellite
75:Location of TDRS as of March 2019
52:American communications satellite
1558:Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO)
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1111:"TDRS 11, 12, 13 (TDRS K, L, M)"
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269:TDRSS satellite ground terminals
243:shortly after launch during the
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1699:Satellites of the United States
1465:Spacecraft Fabrication Facility
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1548:Goddard Earth Observing System
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719:near 2150 (plus or minus 150)
695:Source: NASA: TDRS A Satellite
372:Different versions of the TDRS
1:
1590:Dennis J. Andrucyk (Director)
1440:Wallops Flight Facility (WFF)
884:
200:
1523:Hubble Space Telescope (HST)
970:. Reuters. December 20, 2007
157:, and remote bases like the
7:
1405:Goddard Space Flight Center
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704:operations. The base three
335:Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center
191:Goddard Space Flight Center
155:International Space Station
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832:European Data Relay System
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995:. NASA. November 30, 2011
706:geosynchronous satellites
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307:White Sands Missile Range
301:The bilateration ranging
29:This article needs to be
1596:(Deputy Center Director)
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634:Space-to-ground Antenna
139:communications satellite
1361:denotes launch failure.
1237:List of TDRS satellites
780:Second-generation TDRS.
727:were the initial plan.
680:List of TDRS satellites
141:that forms part of the
1543:NASA Earth Observatory
768:First-generation TDRS.
459:Single Access Antenna
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263:TDRSS ground terminals
257:
163:crewed flight missions
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1185:Boeing 3rd Generation
1180:Boeing 2nd Generation
527:Multi Access Antenna
418:Nominal power: 1700.0
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1113:. Space.skyrocket.de
794:Kennedy Space Center
748:TDRS is deployed on
415:Mass: 2108.0 kg
360:(1st Gen only), and
222:geosynchronous orbit
218:Inertial Upper Stage
168:geosynchronous orbit
1624:Robert Bindschadler
821:TDRS GSFC NASA page
321:, Australia (ALS).
287:White Sands Complex
216:. The Boeing-built
187:Challenger disaster
1704:Satellites by type
1610:Notable scientists
1518:Near Earth Network
1508:Hitchhiker Program
877:Spaceflight portal
857:Near Earth Network
852:Deep Space Network
556:transmit elements
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1654:Lissette Martinez
1634:Gene Carl Feldman
1483:Explorers Program
1419:Robert H. Goddard
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1303:Second generation
1091:on March 20, 2009
1017:. April 10, 2009.
901:. Spaceflight Now
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540:receive elements
293:to support TDRS.
183:Satellite Systems
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1649:Marc Kuchner
1644:James Hansen
1629:Fred Espenak
1476:and programs
1424:GSFC History
1358:
1257:
1231:
1137:. Retrieved
1127:
1115:. Retrieved
1105:
1093:. Retrieved
1089:the original
1079:
1067:. Retrieved
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1033:. Retrieved
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999:December 12,
997:. Retrieved
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444:Solar Panels
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208:
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166:function in
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1664:Nancy Roman
1139:February 5,
1095:February 5,
1069:February 5,
1035:February 5,
974:February 5,
952:February 5,
930:October 22,
905:February 5,
754:IUS booster
717:frequencies
573:beamforming
429:Capability
317:(ACN), and
303:transponder
1683:Categories
1584:Leadership
1433:Facilities
1117:August 18,
1065:. Nasa.gov
1031:. Nasa.gov
948:. Nasa.gov
885:References
792:TDRS-G at
678:See also:
273:Las Cruces
241:Challenger
201:Operations
151:satellites
702:telemetry
579:on-board
341:Discovery
277:telemetry
41:June 2024
814:See also
438:3rd gen
435:2nd gen
432:1st gen
406:Atlas II
313:(GRGT),
267:The two
245:STS-51-L
1359:Italics
1346:TDRS-13
1341:TDRS-12
1336:TDRS-11
1320:TDRS-10
828:Program
735:Gallery
713:apogees
582:ground
512:Ka band
494:Ku band
412:booster
410:Atlas V
309:(WSC),
31:updated
1577:People
1315:TDRS-9
1310:TDRS-8
1285:TDRS-7
1280:TDRS-6
1275:TDRS-5
1270:TDRS-4
1265:TDRS-3
1259:TDRS-B
1253:TDRS-1
750:STS-54
650:S band
619:S band
590:S band
476:S band
420:
350:S band
325:Design
195:TDRS M
179:Boeing
1152:Notes
1063:(PDF)
752:with
640:2.4m
637:2.0m
214:STS-6
1402:NASA
1141:2014
1119:2017
1097:2014
1071:2014
1037:2014
1001:2011
976:2014
954:2014
932:2019
907:2014
826:SCaN
660:yes
657:yes
654:yes
629:yes
626:yes
623:yes
600:yes
597:yes
594:yes
522:yes
519:yes
504:yes
501:yes
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486:yes
483:yes
480:yes
366:band
358:band
311:Guam
291:Guam
282:NASA
147:NASA
135:TDRS
725:GHz
721:MHz
565:15
562:15
559:12
549:32
546:32
543:30
516:no
408:or
175:TRW
1685::
984:^
915:^
468:2
465:2
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129:A
1394:e
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422:W
364:a
362:K
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39:(
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