mulbery@mot.UUCP (Bill Mulberry) (09/19/85)
Does anybody out there in NASAland know what the story is on
TDRSS? When is the next scheduled launch of TDRS-B? It has been
postponed so much that I have heard the TDRSS has been deemed a
failure, and NASA/Air Force will not launch the other two satellites.
Is this true? Thanks.
--
------------------------------------
Bill Mulberry @ Motorola Microsystems, Tempe, AZ U.S.A.
UUCP: {seismo!terak, trwrb!flkvax, utzoo!mnetor, ihnp4!btlunix}!mot!mulbery
ARPA: oakhill!mot!mulbery@ut-sally.ARPA AT&T: 602-438-3039
-------------------------------------eder@ssc-vax.UUCP (Dani Eder) (09/25/85)
> > > Does anybody out there in NASAland know what the story is on > TDRSS? When is the next scheduled launch of TDRS-B? It has been > postponed so much that I have heard the TDRSS has been deemed a > failure, and NASA/Air Force will not launch the other two satellites. > Is this true? Thanks. > Well, I work in Boeingland, and we build the IUS which is used to deliver the TDRSS. According to the secretary of the IUS program manager, the next launch of the Shuttle, scheduled for Sept 3, will carry the TDRSS-B. She ought to know because her boss is going to the Cape to watch the launch. Dani Eder / Advanced Space Transportation / Boeing / ssc-vax!eder
hhs@hou2h.UUCP (H.SHARP) (09/26/85)
The latest "no earlier than" date for launch of TDRSS-B
is for 1/22/86 on STS 51-L.
The failure or success of TDRSS depends on the viewpoint.
Some of the people at NASA consider TDRSS a stunning success as
a prototype system, but a failure as an operational system.
My personal opinion is that compared to the earth stations
it is a vast improvement, but compared to what it was
advertised to do it is a disappointment.
Finding out what the shortcomings actually are and
how widespread may be difficult since it is considered a
"national resource" item and NASA and Air Force personnel have
been instructed not to divulge any of this information for
"national security" reasons. However, there was an article
in _Aviation Leak_ (oops, I mean Week) explaining several of
the problems of TDRSS. I don't remember the issue, but it was
within the last year and it created quite a furor at NASA.
As for the future of TDRSS, the last I heard it was
very secure. It is being planned to support Space Station, and
more are under construction. Instead of three TDRS's, there will
be four in orbit. A new ground station is being planned to handle
the third active satellite in orbit. The system is planned to be
replaced gradually with the follow-on TDAS system somewhere
around the turn of the century. There are some people who are
pushing to accelerate the TDAS development for earlier deployment.
There are also some people within NASA who are convinced TDRSS is
a terrible idea and are trying to get it replaced, but the official
line is the one described at the beginning of the paragraph and
it looks like it has enough momentum to carry through.
(P.S. Don't really expect TDRS-B to be launched on 1/22/86 considering
the launch record)rjnoe@riccb.UUCP (Roger J. Noe) (09/27/85)
> The latest "no earlier than" date for launch of TDRSS-B > is for 1/22/86 on STS 51-L. I thought mission 61-D with Spacelab 4 was supposed to launch on that date. Has it been canceled or pushed back? I thought it was 51-L that got canceled. -- Roger Noe ihnp4!riccb!rjnoe