View source for 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      = [[Communications satellite|Communication]]
| operator          = [[NASA]]
| COSPAR_ID         = 1988-091B
| SATCAT            = 19548 <ref name=satcat>{{cite web |last=McDowell |first=Jonathan |title=SATCAT |url=http://planet4589.org/space/log/satcat.txt |publisher=Jonathan's Space Pages |accessdate=18 March 2014}}</ref>
| mission_duration  = Planned: 10 years<br />Elapsed: {{time interval|29 September 1988 15:37:00|show=ymd|sep=,}}

| spacecraft_bus    = TDRS
| manufacturer      = [[TRW Inc.|TRW]]
| dry_mass          = 
| launch_mass       = {{convert|2224.9|kg|lb|abbr=on}}<ref name="tdrs_char">{{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}}</ref>
| dimensions        = {{convert|17.3|xx|14.2|m|ft|abbr=on}}<ref name="tdrs_char" />
| power             = 1700 watts<ref name="tdrs_char" />

| launch_date       = {{start-date|29 September 1988, 15:37:00}}&nbsp;[[UTC]]
| launch_rocket     = {{OV|103}}<br/>[[STS-26]] / [[Inertial Upper Stage|IUS]]
| launch_site       = [[Kennedy Space Center]] [[Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39B|LC-39B]]
| launch_contractor = [[Rockwell International]]

| entered_service   = 
| disposal_type     = 
| deactivated       = <!-- {{end-date|[insert date here]}} -->

| orbit_epoch       = 29 September 1988 <ref>{{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}}</ref>
| orbit_reference   = [[Geocentric orbit]]
| orbit_regime      = [[Geostationary orbit]]
| orbit_longitude   = 151° West (1988)<br/>171° West (1988–1990)<br/>174° West (1990–1991)<br/>62° West (1991–1994)<br/>171° West (1994–1995)<br/>85° East (1995–2009)<br/>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 Inc.|TRW]], and is based on a custom [[satellite bus]] which was used for all seven first generation TDRS satellites.<ref name="GSP">{{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}}</ref>

==Launch==
[[File:STS-26 Return to Flight Launch - GPN-2000-001870.jpg|left|thumb|upright=.6|The launch of STS-26, carrying TDRS-C]]

The TDRS-C satellite was launched aboard {{OV|103}} during the [[STS-26]] mission in 1988; the first Shuttle flight since the [[Space Shuttle Challenger disaster|''Challenger'' disaster]] which had resulted in the loss of the previous TDRS satellite, [[TDRS-B]]. ''Discovery'' launched from [[Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39B|Launch Complex 39B]] at the [[Kennedy Space Center]] at 15:37:00 UTC on 29 September 1988.<ref name="JSR">{{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}}</ref> TDRS-C was deployed from ''Discovery'' around six hours after launch, and was raised to [[geostationary orbit]] by means of an [[Inertial Upper Stage]].<ref name="JSR"/>

===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 [[Geostationary transfer orbit|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.<ref>{{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}}</ref> It was briefly placed at a longitude 151° West of the [[Prime meridian (Greenwich)|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 Shuttle]]s. 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.<ref name="TBS">{{cite web |url=http://www.tbs-satellite.com/tse/online/sat_tdrs_3.html |title=TDRS 3 |publisher=TSE |accessdate=8 August 2009}}</ref><ref name="GSOHist">{{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 }}</ref> 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]].<ref name="TBS"/><ref name="SFN-TDRSJ">{{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}}</ref> In October 2009, as NASA began decommissioning [[TDRS-1]], TDRS-3 was moved to 49.0° West,<ref>{{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}}</ref> where it remains in storage as of 2020.<ref>{{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}}</ref>

[[File:Location of TDRS.svg|left|thumb|Location of TDRS as of 26 May 2020]]
[[File:Map of TDRS.png|center|thumb|Location of TDRS as of 18 March 2019]]
{{clear|left}}

== See also ==
{{Portal|Spaceflight}}
* [[List of TDRS satellites]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{TDRS}}
{{Orbital launches in 1988}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tdrs-3}}
[[Category:Communications satellites in geostationary orbit]]
[[Category:Spacecraft launched in 1988]]
[[Category:TDRS satellites]]
[[Category:Spacecraft launched by the Space Shuttle]]