Satellite Launch Lights Up the Night Sky...[ 3441 ]
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Tracking and Data Relay Satellite Launch Lights Up the Night Sky
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United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket lights up the night sky over
Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida
as it carries NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite, or TDRS-L, to
Earth orbit. Launch was at 9:33 p.m. EST on Thursday, Jan. 23 during a
40-minute launch window. . The TDRS-L spacecraft is the second of three new satellites designed
to ensure vital operational continuity for NASA by expanding the
lifespan of the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) fleet,
which consists of eight satellites in geosynchronous orbit. . The
spacecraft provide tracking, telemetry, command and high-bandwidth data
return services for numerous science and human exploration missions
orbiting Earth. These include NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and the
International Space Station. . TDRS-L has a high-performance solar panel
designed for more spacecraft power to meet the growing S-band
communications requirements. TDRSS is one of three NASA Space
Communications and Navigation (SCaN) networks providing space
communications to NASA’s missions. . > More about TDRS-L Image Credit: NASA/Dan Casper
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