TDRS-12, known before launch as TDRS-L, is an American
communications satellite
A communications satellite is an artificial satellite that relays and amplifies radio telecommunication signals via a transponder; it creates a communication channel between a source transmitter and a receiver at different locations on Earth. C ...
operated by
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research.
NASA was established in 1958, succeeding t ...
as part of the
Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System
The U.S. Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) is a network of American communications satellites (each called a tracking and data relay satellite, TDRS) and ground stations used by NASA for space communications. The system was desig ...
. The twelfth
Tracking and Data Relay Satellite
A tracking and data relay satellite (TDRS) is a type of communications satellite that forms part of the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) used by NASA and other United States government agencies for communications to and fro ...
, it is the second third-generation spacecraft to be launched, following
TDRS-11 in 2013.
Spacecraft
TDRS-12 was constructed by
Boeing
The Boeing Company () is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, telecommunications equipment, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and product ...
, based on the BSS-601HP satellite bus. Fully fueled, it has a mass of , with a design life of 15 years.
It carries two steerable antennas capable of providing
S,
Ku and
Ka band communications for other spacecraft, with an additional array of S-band transponders for lower-rate communications with five further satellites.
The satellite is powered by two
solar arrays
A photovoltaic system, also PV system or solar power system, is an electric power system designed to supply usable solar power by means of photovoltaics. It consists of an arrangement of several components, including solar panels to absorb and c ...
, which produce 2.8 to 3.2 kilowatts of power, while an
R-4D-11-300 engine is present to provide propulsion.
Launch
The United Launch Alliance was contracted to launch TDRS-12. The spacecraft was launched on 24 January 2014 at 02:33 UTC (21:33
local time
Local time is the time observed in a specific locality. There is no canonical definition. Originally it was mean solar time, but since the introduction of time zones it is generally the time as determined by the time zone in effect, with daylight s ...
on 23 January).
An Atlas V rocket was used, flying in the 401 configuration, with tail number AV-043.
After launch, TDRS-12 was deployed into a high-perigee
geosynchronous transfer orbit
A geosynchronous transfer orbit or geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) is a type of geocentric orbit. Satellites that are destined for geosynchronous (GSO) or geostationary orbit (GEO) are (almost) always put into a GTO as an intermediate step f ...
.
The spacecraft raised itself into a geosynchronous orbit using its onboard propulsion system.
Gallery
File:TDRS-L.jpg
File:TDRS-L on launch pad.jpg
File:TDRS-L_Countdown_Underway.jpg
File:Atlas_V_Ignition_for_TDRS-L_Launch.jpg
File:Location of TDRS.svg, Location of TDRS as of 22 May 2020
File:Map of TDRS.png, Location of TDRS as of March 2019
See also
*
List of TDRS satellites
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 ...
References
Spacecraft launched in 2014
Communications satellites in geostationary orbit
TDRS satellites
Spacecraft launched by Atlas rockets
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