nasa

Nasa will launch its Tracking and Data Relay Satellite M (TDRS-M) mission using United Launch Services’ (ULA) Atlas V vehicle.

The mission will be launched in 2017, aboard an Atlas V 401 evolved expendable launch vehicle (EELV) from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

The contract awarded under Nasa’s launch services programme will be the third and final satellite in the TDRS series.

TDRS-M satellites were built by Boeing. All 12 satellites have launched on space shuttles, Atlas 2A and Atlas 5 rockets.

The total cost of the launch of TDRS-M is $132.4m, including the launch service, spacecraft processing, payload integration, tracking, data and telemetry, as well as other launch support requirements.

"The launch aims to provide 24hr communications for network services such as voice calls, telemetry streams and television signals from the International Space Station."

ULA Atlas and Delta Programmers vice-president Jim Sponnick said: "ULA and Nasa have collaborated on 11 highly successful Atlas V launches and we look forward to applying a one launch at a time focus on mission success to the TDRS-M mission."

Nasa started the TDRS project in 1973 and carried out its first launch in 1983.

The launch aims to provide 24hr communications for network services such as voice calls, telemetry streams and television signals from the International Space Station.

The TDRS constellation is capable of providing continuous high bandwidth (S, Ku and Ka band) telecommunication services for expandable launch vehicles and user spacecraft in low Earth orbit.

It also provides telemetry and science data from the Hubble Space Telescope and other orbiting spacecraft.

An Atlas V rocket successfully launched the global positioning system (GPS) IIF-11 satellite for the US Air Force on 30 October.

GPS IIF-11 incorporate improvements to provide greater accuracy, increased signals and enhanced performance for users.

Image: The TDRS-L was launched in 2014. Photo: courtesy of Nasa.