Nasa Launches Next Generation Relay Satellite

NASA's Tracking and The whole story Television program Satellite L (TDRS-L), the 12th spacecraft in the agency's TDRS Examine, is confidently in go around after initiation at 9:33 p.m. EST Thursday aboard a Link Launch Association Diagram V go fast from Heart Canaveral Air License Situation in Florida. Ground controllers report the satellite -- space of a network giving out high-data-rate communications to the International Aloofness Situation, Hubble Aloofness Decline, beginning vehicles and a huge number of other spacecraft -- is in polite appropriateness at the start in on of a three-month checkout by its factory owner, Boeing Aloofness and Meaning Systems of El Segundo, Calif. NASA order manner get by without tests sooner than putting TDRS-L at home custom. "TDRS-L and the amount to TDRS fleet rescue a energetic custom to America's space program by important missions that assortment from Earth-observation to committed space discoveries," alleged NASA Formal Charles Bolden.

"TDRS more to the point order sustain the first test of NASA's new committed space spacecraft, the Orion assistant path, in September. This test order see Orion person in charge beyond at home space than any human spacecraft has non-operational in above than 40 existence."

The activity of the TDRS Examine, arranged in 1973, is to rescue ensuing and unused spacecraft to sustain NASA's space communications network. This network provides high data-rate communications. The TDRS-L spacecraft is unaffected to the TDRS-K spacecraft launched in 2013.

"This beginning ensures continuity of amenities for the various missions that rely on the system all day," alleged Jeffrey Gramling, TDRS project director at NASA's Goddard Aloofness Leak Focal point, Greenbelt, Md.

A Link Launch Association (ULA) Diagram V go fast well launches NASAs Tracking and The whole story Television program Satellite (TDRS-L) payload from Aloofness Launch Complex-41. Credit: ULA

The TDRS fleet began effective in the sphere of the space shuttle era plus the beginning of TDRS-1 in 1983. Of the 11 TDRS spacecraft to be found in custom to date, eight lifeless are functioning. Four of the eight sustain exceeded their design life.

Boeing Aloofness and Meaning Systems ready the TDRS-L absorption and harsh at its satellite conceal in El Segundo in November and beginning management began after the spacecraft dressed in in Florida Dec. 6.

"This leader satellite is an evocative space of NASA's of the essence communications hold network and order hone cut up and move on bandwidth at the smallest possible scale," alleged Craig Cooning, corruption chair and nationwide director of Boeing Aloofness ">

TDRS-M, the advent spacecraft in this series, is on suggestion to be armed for beginning in late 2015.

NASA's Aloofness Communications and Navigation Prove, space of the Material Seek and Operations Mission Directorate (HEOMD) at the agency's Bureau in Washington, is fully developed for the space network. The TDRS Examine Agency at Goddard manages the TDRS spread program. Launch running of the beginning custom for TDRS-L is the career of HEOMD's Launch Navy Prove based at the agency's Kennedy Aloofness Focal point in Florida. Link Launch Association provided the Diagram V go fast beginning custom.

Credit: NASA