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The first seven TDRSS satellites were built by the [[TRW Inc.|TRW]] corporation. The three later versions have been manufactured by the [[Boeing]] corporation's [[Boeing Satellite Systems|Satellite Systems]] division. Thirteen satellites have been launched; however, one was destroyed in the [[Challenger disaster]]. TDRS-1 was decommissioned in October 2009.<ref name=T1decomm>{{cite web|url=http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0910/13tdrs/ |title=Breaking News | NASA retires 'queen' of tracking satellite fleet |publisher=Spaceflight Now |access-date=February 5, 2014}}</ref> TDRS-4 was decommissioned in December 2011. Ten TDRSS satellites are currently in service.<ref name="spacecomm">{{cite web|url=https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/heo/scan/services/networks/tdrs_main|title=Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) | NASA|date=Oct 22, 2019|publisher=Spacecomm.nasa.gov|access-date=October 22, 2019}}</ref> All of the TDRSS satellites have been managed by NASA's [[Goddard Space Flight Center]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/news/topstory/2003/0403tdrs20th.html |title=NASA – Top Story – TDRS 20th Anniversary – April 03, 2003 |publisher=Nasa.gov |access-date=February 5, 2014}}</ref> The contract for TDRS versions L & K was awarded to Boeing on December 20, 2007.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/ousiv/idUSN2019803020071221 |title=Boeing to build NASA tracking, data relay satellites |publisher=Reuters |date=December 20, 2007 |access-date=February 5, 2014}}</ref> On November 30, 2011, NASA announced the decision to order an additional third-generation TDRS satellite, [[TDRS-13|TDRS M]].<ref name=NASA/>
In 2022 NASA announced it would begin to phase out the TDRS system and hand off satellite relay services to commercial providers.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Companies Vie to Build NASA’s Next Communications Network - IEEE Spectrum |url=https://spectrum.ieee.org/nasa-new-network-tdrs |access-date=2024-10-17 |website=spectrum.ieee.org |language=en}}</ref> In 2024 it announced that while TDRS satellites would probably continue to operate for a decade or more, all new orbital missions would communicate through privately-operated satellite networks.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-10-16 |title=NASA to Embrace Commercial Sector, Fly Out Legacy Relay Fleet - NASA |url=https://www.nasa.gov/missions/tdrs/nasa-to-embrace-commercial-sector-fly-out-legacy-relay-fleet/ |access-date=2024-10-17 |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Operations==
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==Design==
[[File:Space Shuttle Discovery at Udvar-Hazy Center.jpg|thumb|A first-generation TDRS satellite on display at the [[Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center]], placed above [[Space Shuttle Discovery|Space Shuttle ''Discovery'']].]]
The communications systems of the TDRSS satellites were designed to support multiple missions at the same time. Each satellite has [[S band]], [[Ku band|K<sub>u</sub> band]] (1st Gen only), and [[Ka band|K<sub>a</sub> band]] (2nd gen only) electronic communication systems hardware that operate at different carrier frequencies and also support various data-rates.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/pdf/97440main_TDRS_fs_9.18.pdf |title= NASA Goddard TDRS Radio Frequency Systems (need Adobe Acrobat Reader)|publisher=Nasa.gov|access-date=February 5, 2014}}</ref> The newer Boeing satellites are able to support more communications than the older TRW-built satellites.
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