| Auto: | all |
| TDRS-12 | |
| Insignia: | TDRS L Project fairing logo.png |
| Mission Type: | Communications |
| Operator: | NASA |
| Cospar Id: | 2014-004A |
| Satcat: | 39504 |
| Mission Duration: | Planned: 15 years Elapsed: |
| Spacecraft Bus: | BSS-601HP |
| Manufacturer: | Boeing |
| Launch Mass: | 3454kg (7,615lb)[1] |
| Launch Date: | UTC[2] |
| Launch Rocket: | Atlas V 401 |
| Launch Site: | Cape Canaveral SLC-41 |
| Launch Contractor: | United Launch Alliance |
| Orbit Epoch: | 22 January 2015, 07:10:47 UTC[3] |
| Orbit Reference: | Geocentric |
| Orbit Regime: | Geosynchronous orbit |
| Orbit Periapsis: | 35785km (22,236miles) |
| Orbit Apoapsis: | 35797km (22,243miles) |
| Orbit Inclination: | 6.77 degrees |
| Orbit Period: | 1436.03 minutes |
| Apsis: | gee |
TDRS-12, known before launch as TDRS-L, is an American communications satellite operated by NASA as part of the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System. The twelfth Tracking and Data Relay Satellite, it is the second third-generation spacecraft to be launched, following TDRS-11 in 2013.[4]
TDRS-12 was constructed by Boeing, based on the BSS-601HP satellite bus. Fully fueled, it has a mass of 3454kg (7,615lb), with a design life of 15 years.[1] It carries two steerable antennas capable of providing S, Ku and Ka band communications for other spacecraft, with an additional array of S-band transponders for lower-rate communications with five further satellites.[4] The satellite is powered by two solar arrays, which produce 2.8 to 3.2 kilowatts of power, while an R-4D-11-300 engine is present to provide propulsion.[1] [5]
The United Launch Alliance was contracted to launch TDRS-12. The spacecraft was launched on 24 January 2014 at 02:33 UTC (21:33 local time on 23 January).[2] An Atlas V rocket was used, flying in the 401 configuration, with tail number AV-043.[5] After launch, TDRS-12 was deployed into a high-perigee geosynchronous transfer orbit.[6] The spacecraft raised itself into a geosynchronous orbit using its onboard propulsion system.