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 (satellite communications), transponder; it creates a communication channel between a source transmitter and a Rad ...
operated by
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the federal government of the United States, US federal government responsible for the United States ...
as part of the
Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System
The U.S. Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS, pronounced "T-driss") 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 twelfth
Tracking and Data Relay Satellite, 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, or simply Boeing (), is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and product support s ...
, 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 called a 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 abs ...
, 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 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
In space mission design, a geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) or geosynchronous transfer orbit is a highly elliptical type of geocentric orbit, usually with a perigee as low as low Earth orbit (LEO) and an apogee as high as geostationary orbit ...
.
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 NASA, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and are used for communication between NASA facilitie ...
References
Spacecraft launched in 2014
Communications satellites in geostationary orbit
TDRS satellites
Spacecraft launched by Atlas rockets
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