TDRS-3
{{Short description|American communications satellite}}
{{Use American English|date=June 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox spaceflight
| name = TDRS-3
| image = TDRS-C.jpg
| image_caption = TDRS-C aboard Discovery
| mission_type = Communication
| operator = NASA
| COSPAR_ID = 1988-091B
| mission_duration = Planned: 10 years
Elapsed: {{time interval|29 September 1988 15:37:00|show=ymd|sep=,}}
| spacecraft_bus = TDRS
| manufacturer = TRW
| dry_mass =
| launch_mass = {{convert|2224.9|kg|lb|abbr=on}}{{cite web |url=https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/heo/scan/services/networks/tdrs_characteristics |title=Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) Characteristics |publisher=NASA |date=10 September 2014 |accessdate=28 July 2020}}
| dimensions = {{convert|17.3|xx|14.2|m|ft|abbr=on}}
| launch_date = {{start-date|29 September 1988, 15:37:00}} UTC
| launch_rocket = {{OV|103}}
STS-26 / IUS
| launch_site = Kennedy Space Center LC-39B
| launch_contractor = Rockwell International
| entered_service =
| disposal_type =
| deactivated =
| orbit_epoch = 29 September 1988 {{Cite web |url=https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=1988-091B |title=NASA – NSSDCA – Spacecraft – Trajectory Details |website=nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov |access-date=2 May 2018}} {{PD-notice}}
| orbit_reference = Geocentric orbit
| orbit_regime = Geostationary orbit
| orbit_longitude = 151° West (1988)
171° West (1988–1990)
174° West (1990–1991)
62° West (1991–1994)
171° West (1994–1995)
85° East (1995–2009)
49° West (2009–)
| orbit_slot =
| apsis = gee
| trans_band =
| trans_frequency =
| trans_bandwidth =
| trans_capacity =
| trans_coverage =
| trans_TWTA =
| trans_EIRP =
| trans_HPBW =
}}
TDRS-3, known before launch as TDRS-C, is an American communications satellite, of first generation, which is operated by NASA as part of the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System. It was constructed by TRW, and is based on a custom satellite bus which was used for all seven first generation TDRS satellites.{{cite web |url=http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/tdrs-1.htm |title=TDRS 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 |publisher=Gunter's Space Page |first=Gunter |last=Krebs |accessdate=8 August 2009}}
Launch
File:STS-26 Return to Flight Launch - GPN-2000-001870.jpg
The TDRS-C satellite was launched aboard {{OV|103}} during the STS-26 mission in 1988; the first Shuttle flight since the Challenger disaster which had resulted in the loss of the previous TDRS satellite, TDRS-B. Discovery launched from Launch Complex 39B at the Kennedy Space Center at 15:37:00 UTC on 29 September 1988.{{cite web |url=http://planet4589.org/space/log/launchlog.txt |title=Launch Log |publisher=Jonathan's Space Page |first=Jonathan |last=McDowell |accessdate=8 August 2009}} TDRS-C was deployed from Discovery around six hours after launch, and was raised to geostationary orbit by means of an Inertial Upper Stage.
=Deployment=
The two-stage solid-propellent Inertial Upper Stage made two burns. The first stage burn occurred shortly after deployment from Discovery, and placed the satellite into a geosynchronous transfer orbit. At 04:30 UTC on 30 September 1988, it reached apogee, and the second stage fired, placing TDRS-C into geosynchronous orbit. At this point it received its operational designation. Although the TDRS-2 designation had not been assigned, TDRS-C was given the designation TDRS-3 as NASA did not want to reuse the designation which had been intended for the STS-51-L payload.{{cite web |url=http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/nasafact/tdrsdesig.htm |title=Designation |work=NASA'S Tracking and Data Relay Satellite |publisher=NASA |date=December 1992 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090803072817/http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/nasafact/tdrsdesig.htm |archivedate=3 August 2009 }} {{PD-notice}} It was briefly placed at a longitude 151° West of the Greenwich Meridian, before being moved to 171.0° West before the end of 1988, from where it provided communications services to spacecraft in Earth orbit, including Space Shuttles. In 1990, it was relocated to 174.0° West, and again in 1991 to 62.0° West. In 1994, it returned to 171.0° West.{{cite web |url=http://www.tbs-satellite.com/tse/online/sat_tdrs_3.html |title=TDRS 3 |publisher=TSE |accessdate=8 August 2009}}{{cite web |url=http://planet4589.org/space/log/geo.date |title=Index |work=Geostationary Orbit Catalog |last=McDowell |first=Jonathan |publisher=Jonathan's Space Page |accessdate=8 August 2009 |archive-date=6 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100406015538/http://www.planet4589.org/space/log/geo.date |url-status=dead }} In June 1995, it was moved to 85.0° East, from where it was used primarily for communications with spacecraft such as the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory and the Hubble Space Telescope.{{cite web |url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/atlas/ac144/021201tdrs.html |title=The TDRS-J satellite |date=1 December 2002 |publisher=Spaceflight Now |accessdate=8 August 2009}} In October 2009, as NASA began decommissioning TDRS-1, TDRS-3 was moved to 49.0° West,{{cite web |last=Clark |first=Stephen |title=NASA retires 'queen' of tracking satellite fleet |url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0910/13tdrs/ |publisher=Spaceflight Now |accessdate=18 March 2014 |date=13 October 2009}} where it remains in storage as of 2020.{{cite web |title=Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) Fleet |url=http://www.nasa.gov/directorates/heo/scan/services/networks/txt_tdrs_fleet.html |publisher=NASA |accessdate=18 March 2014 |date=11 February 2014}} {{PD-notice}}
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See also
{{Portal|Spaceflight}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{TDRS}}
{{Orbital launches in 1988}}
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Category:Communications satellites in geostationary orbit