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Tracking and Data Relay Satellites (TDRS) are the largest, most advanced privately developed communications satellites. TDRS provide global coverage of Earth-orbiting spacecraft. In the past, spacecraft could communicate with Earth only when they were in sight of a ground tracking station, typically less than one fifth of the time. The TDRS system enables spacecraft to communicate with Earth for about 85 to 100 percent of the orbit by having a system of orbiting telecommunication satellites operated from a single ground terminal link. The first TDRS was launched from Kennedy Space Center on April 4, 1983. TDRS is owned and operated by the Technical Services Division of Contel Federal Systems, Fairfax, VA. However, its services are being leased to NASA for a ten-year period.

 Identifier

NASM.2002.0046

Creator

Contel Federal Systems, Fairfax, VA

Date

1976-1979

Provenance

Daniel K. Elliot, Gift, 2002

Extent

0.9 Cubic feet ((2 letter document boxes, 1 slim letter document box))

Archival Repository

National Air and Space Museum Archives

Scope and Contents

This collection contains TDRSS documentation from the years 1976 through 1979. Materials include: a Pricing Manual, a Program Acronym List, Program Space Segment Specifications, a Baseline Report, Project Plans, a Proposal Kickoff Package, the Proposal Preparation, a Test Plan, the Review Boards Notebook, a Shuttle User Draft, Contracts, a System Design Report, Performance Specifications, a Statement of Work, and Flow Diagrams.

Rights

Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests

Restrictions

No restrictions on access.

Citation

Tracking and Data Relay Satellites System (TDRSS) Documentation, Accession 2002-0046, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Topics

Tracking and Data Relay Satellites System (TDRSS)

Artificial satellites

Astronautics

Space vehicles

Communications equipment

Type

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Lists

Specifications

Reports

Diagrams