View source for TDRS-13

{{Short description|American communications satellite}}
{{Infobox spaceflight|auto=all
| name                  = TDRS-13
| image                 = TDRS-M inside the Astrotech facility in Titusville.jpg
| image_caption         = TDRS-M at the Astrotech payload processing facility
| insignia              = TDRS M Project fairing logo.png
| mission_type          = [[Communications satellite|Communications]]
| operator              = [[NASA]]
| website               =
| COSPAR_ID             =
| SATCAT                =
| mission_duration      = Planned: 15 years<br />Elapsed: {{time interval|18 August 2017 12:29|show=ymd|sep=,}}
| spacecraft_bus        = [[BSS-601HP]]
| manufacturer          = [[Boeing]]
| dry_mass              =
| launch_mass           = {{convert|3454|kg|lb|abbr=on}}<ref name="GSP">{{cite web |url=http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/tdrs-11.htm |title=TDRS K, L, M |first=Gunter |last=Krebs |work=Gunter's Space Page |accessdate=23 January 2013}}</ref>
| power                 =
| launch_date           = {{start-date|18 August 2017, 12:29}}&nbsp;[[UTC]]<ref name=sfn_ls />
| launch_rocket         = [[Atlas V]] 401
| launch_site           = [[Cape Canaveral Air Force Station|Cape Canaveral]] [[Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Space Launch Complex 41|SLC-41]]
| launch_contractor     = [[United Launch Alliance]]
| entered_service       =
| disposal_type         =
| deactivated           = <!-- {{end-date|[insert date here]}} -->
| orbit_epoch           =
| orbit_reference       = [[Geocentric orbit|Geocentric]]
| orbit_regime          = [[Geosynchronous orbit]]
| orbit_periapsis       =
| orbit_apoapsis        =
| orbit_inclination     =
| orbit_period          =
| orbit_longitude       =
| orbit_slot            =
| apsis                 =
| trans_band            =
| trans_frequency       =
| trans_bandwidth       =
| trans_capacity        =
| trans_coverage        =
| trans_TWTA            =
| trans_EIRP            =
| trans_HPBW            =
}}
'''TDRS-13''', known before launch as '''TDRS-M''', is an American [[communications satellite]] operated by [[NASA]] as part of the [[Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System]]. The thirteenth [[Tracking and Data Relay Satellite]], it is the third and final third-generation spacecraft to be launched, following the 2014 launch of [[TDRS-12]].
== Spacecraft ==
TDRS-M was constructed by [[Boeing]], based on the [[Boeing 601|BSS-601HP]] satellite bus. Fully fueled, it has a mass of {{convert|3454|kg|lb|abbr=on}}, with a design life of 15 years.<ref name="GSP">{{cite web |url=http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/tdrs-11.htm |title=TDRS K, L, M |first=Gunter |last=Krebs |work=Gunter's Space Page |accessdate=23 January 2013}}</ref> It carries two steerable antennas capable of providing [[S band|S]], [[Ku band|Ku]] and [[Ka band|Ka]] band communications for other spacecraft, with an additional array of S-band transponders for lower-rate communications with five further satellites.<ref name="MK">{{cite web |url=http://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/files/TDRS-LMediaGuide-FINAL.pdf |title=TDRS-K Media Kit |publisher=NASA |accessdate=23 January 2014}}</ref> The satellite is powered by two [[solar arrays]], which produce 2.8 to 3.2 kilowatts of power, while an [[R-4D|R-4D-11-300]] engine is present to provide propulsion.<ref name="GSP"/>
== Launch ==
In 2015, NASA contracted with [[United Launch Alliance]] to launch TDRS-M on an [[Atlas V]] 401 for $132.4 million. The spacecraft was launched on 18 August 2017 at 12:29 UTC (08:29 [[Eastern Time Zone|local time]])<ref name=sfn_ls>{{cite web |url=http://spaceflightnow.com/launch-schedule/ |title=Launch Schedule |work=Spaceflight Now |last=Clark |first=Stephen |date=16 September 2016 |access-date=17 September 2016}}</ref> from [[Space Launch Complex-41]] at [[Cape Canaveral Air Force Station]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Northon |first1=Karen |title=NASA Awards Launch Services Contract for TDRS Satellite |url=http://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-awards-launch-services-contract-for-next-tracking-data-relay-satellite |website=NASA |accessdate=7 May 2016 |date=30 October 2015}}</ref>
== Damage during final closeouts ==
On 15 July 2017, The TDRS-M space communications satellite was damaged during the encapsulation process at [[Astrotech Corporation|Astrotech Space Operations]].<ref>{{Cite news|date=18 August 2017|title=TDRS launch marks end of an era|url=https://spacenews.com/tdrs-launch-marks-end-of-an-era/|access-date=16 June 2021|publisher=[[SpaceNews]]|language=en-US|quote=During a pre-launch news conference Aug. 17 at the Kennedy Space Center, a Boeing manager said the antenna suffered some “minor damage” when a crane bumped it. “It was prepping to the lift the satellite, and the crane did come down and touch it,” said James Wilson III, Boeing program manager for NASA and civil space programs.|author-link=Jeff Foust|last=Foust|first=Jeff}}</ref>
According to NASA's press release, "NASA and Boeing are reviewing an incident that occurred during final spacecraft closeout activities on the [[Tracking Data Relay Satellite]] (TDRS-M) mission at Astrotech Space Operations in [[Titusville, Florida]], on July 14, involving the [[Omni S-band]] antenna."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2017/tdrs-m-status-update-july-15-2017 |title=TDRS-M Status Update - July 15, 2017 |last=Garner |first=Rob |date=15 July 2017 |website=NASA |access-date=16 July 2017}}</ref> This incident did result in a launch delay.<ref>{{Cite news|date=21 July 2017|title=Mishap to delay launch of NASA communications satellite|url=https://spacenews.com/mishap-threatens-to-delay-launch-of-nasa-communications-satellite/|access-date=16 June 2021|publisher=[[SpaceNews]]|language=en-US|author-link=Jeff Foust|last=Foust|first=Jeff}}</ref>
[[File:Location of TDRS.svg|left|thumb|Location of TDRS as of 22 May 2020]]
[[File:Map of TDRS.png|center|thumb|Location of TDRS as of March 2019]]
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== See also ==
* [[List of TDRS satellites]]
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Portal bar|Spaceflight}}
{{TDRS}}
{{Orbital launches in 2017}}
[[Category:TDRS satellites]]
[[Category:Spacecraft launched in 2017]]
[[Category:Spacecraft launched by Atlas rockets]]