TDRS-7, known before launch as TDRS-G, 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 as a replacement for TDRS-B, which had been lost in the Challenger accident, and was the last first generation TDRS satellite to be launched.
![]() TDRS-G before launch at Kennedy Space Center | |
Mission type | Communication |
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Operator | NASA |
COSPAR ID | 1995-035B ![]() |
SATCAT no. | 23613 |
Mission duration | Planned: 10 years Elapsed: 26 years, 11 months, 20 days |
Spacecraft properties | |
Bus | TDRS |
Manufacturer | TRW |
Launch mass | 2108 kg [1] |
Dimensions | 17.3 metres long 14.2 metres wide |
Power | 1700 watts |
Start of mission | |
Launch date | 13 July 1995, 13:41:55 (1995-07-13UTC13:41:55) UTC |
Rocket | Space Shuttle Discovery STS-70 / IUS |
Launch site | Kennedy Space Center, LC-39B |
Contractor | Rockwell International |
Orbital parameters | |
Reference system | Geocentric orbit |
Regime | Geostationary orbit |
Longitude | 150.0° West (1995–1996) 171.0° West (1996–2003) 150.5° West (2003–) |
Epoch | 14 July 1995 [2] |
TDRS-7 is based on a custom satellite bus which was used for all seven first generation TDRS satellites.[3] Whilst similar to its predecessors, it differed from them slightly in that twelve G/H band (C band (IEEE)) transponders which had been included on the previous satellites were omitted.[4] It was the last communications satellite, other than amateur radio spacecraft, to be deployed by a Space Shuttle.
The TDRS-G satellite was deployed from Space Shuttle Discovery during the STS-70 mission in 1995. Discovery was launched from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39B at 13:41:55 UTC on 13 July 1995.[5] TDRS-G was deployed from Discovery around six hours after launch, and was raised to geosynchronous orbit by means of an Inertial Upper Stage.[5]
The twin-stage solid-propellent Inertial Upper Stage made two burns. The first stage burn occurred around an hour after deployment from Discovery, and placed the satellite into a geosynchronous transfer orbit. At 02:30 UTC on 14 July 1995 it reached apogee, and the second stage fired, placing TDRS-G into geostationary orbit.[6] At this point, it received its operational designation, TDRS-7. It was placed at a longitude 150.0° West of the Greenwich Meridian, where it underwent on-orbit testing. In May 1996, it was moved to 171.0° West where it was stored as an in-orbit spare, and subsequently entered service.[7] In December 2003, it was relocated to 150.5° West.[8] It arrived the next month, and was returned to storage as a reserve satellite.
Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System | ||
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First generation | ||
Second generation | ||
Third generation | ||
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← 1994 · Orbital launches in 1995 · 1996 → | |
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Intelsat 704 | Express 1 | Tsikada 1 · Faisat 1 · Astrid 1 | Apstar 2 | USA-108 | STS-63 (SPARTAN-204 · ODERACS 2A · ODERACS 2B · ODERACS 2C · ODERACS 2D · ODERACS 2E · ODERACS 2F | Progress M-26 | Foton #10 | STS-67 | Kosmos 2306 | Kosmos 2307 · Kosmos 2308 · Kosmos 2309 | Soyuz TM-21 | SFU · Himawari 5 | Kosmos 2310 | Intelsat 705 | Kosmos 2311 | USA-109 | Gurwin 1 · EKA-2 · UNAMSAT-A | Brasilsat B2 · Hot Bird 1 | Orbcomm FM1 · Orbcomm FM2 · OrbView-1 | Ofek-3 | AMSC-1 | Progress M-27 | ERS-2 | USA-110 | Intelsat 706 | Spektr | GOES 9 | Kosmos 2312 | USA-111 | Kosmos 2313 | DirecTV-3 | STEP-3 | STS-71 | Kosmos 2314 | Kosmos 2315 | Helios 1A · Cerise · UPMSat | USA-112 | STS-70 (TDRS-7) | Progress M-28 | Kosmos 2316 · Kosmos 2317 · Kosmos 2318 | USA-113 | Interbol 1 · Maigon 4 | PAS-4 | Koreasat 1 | Molniya 3-59 | GEMStar 1 | JCSAT-3 | N-STAR a | Kosmos 2319 | Sich-1 · FASat-Alfa | Soyuz TM-22 | STS-69 (SPARTAN-201 · WSF) | Telstar 402R | Resurs-F2 #10 | Kosmos 2320 | Kosmos 2321 | Progress M-29 | Luch-1 | Astra 1E | STS-73 | USA-114 | METEOR | Kosmos 2322 | Radarsat-1 · SURFSAT | USA-115 | STS-74 (SO) | ISO | Gals 2 | AsiaSat 2 | SOHO | USA-116 | Télécom 2C · INSAT-2C | Kosmos 2323 · Kosmos 2324 · Kosmos 2325 | Galaxy 3R | Progress M-30 | Kosmos 2326 | IRS-1C · Skipper | EchoStar I | RXTE | |
Payloads are separated by bullets ( · ), launches by pipes ( | ). Crewed flights are indicated in underline. Uncatalogued launch failures are listed in italics. Payloads deployed from other spacecraft are denoted in brackets. |