Misplaced Pages

TDRS-12

TDRS-L at the Astrotech payload processing facility
Mission type	Communications
Operator	NASA
COSPAR ID	2014-004A
SATCAT no.	39504
Mission duration	Planned: 15 years Elapsed: 10 years, 11 months, 8 days
Spacecraft properties
Bus	BSS-601HP
Manufacturer	Boeing
Launch mass	3,454 kg (7,615 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date	24 January 2014, 02:33 (2014-01-24UTC02:33) UTC
Rocket	Atlas V 401
Launch site	Cape Canaveral SLC-41
Contractor	United Launch Alliance
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Regime	Geosynchronous orbit
Perigee altitude	35,785 kilometers (22,236 mi)
Apogee altitude	35,797 kilometers (22,243 mi)
Inclination	6.77 degrees
Period	1436.03 minutes
Epoch	22 January 2015, 07:10:47 UTC

TDRS-12, known before launch as TDRS-L, is an American communications satellite operated by NASA as part of the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System. 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, based on the BSS-601HP satellite bus. Fully fueled, it has a mass of 3,454 kg (7,615 lb), 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, 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. The spacecraft raised itself into a geosynchronous orbit using its onboard propulsion system.

Gallery

• 
• 
• 
• 
• Location of TDRS as of 22 May 2020
• Location of TDRS as of March 2019

See also

• List of TDRS satellites

References

1. ^ Krebs, Gunter. "TDRS K, L, M". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
2. ^ "TRDS-L Lifts Off". NASA. 23 January 2014. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
3. ^ "TDRS-12 Satellite details 2014-004A NORAD 39504". N2YO. 22 January 2015. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
4. ^ "TDRS-K Media Kit" (PDF). NASA. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
5. ^ Graham, William (23 January 2014). "ULA set to open 2014 campaign with Atlas V launch of TDRS-L". NASASpaceflight.com. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
6. "TDRS-L Atlas V Mission Overview" (PDF). United Launch Alliance. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 February 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2014.

v t e Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System
Tracking and data relay satellite List of TDRS satellites
First generation	TDRS-1 TDRS-B TDRS-3 TDRS-4 TDRS-5 TDRS-6 TDRS-7
Second generation	TDRS-8 TDRS-9 TDRS-10
Third generation	TDRS-11 TDRS-12 TDRS-13
Italics denotes launch failure.

This article about one or more spacecraft of the United States is a stub. You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it.

• v
• t
• e

This article about one or more communications satellites is a stub. You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it.

• v
• t
• e

• Spacecraft launched in 2014
• Communications satellites in geostationary orbit
• TDRS satellites
• Spacecraft launched by Atlas rockets
• United States spacecraft stubs
• Communications satellite stubs