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From: hhs@hou2h.UUCP (H.SHARP)
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Re: TDRSS
Message-ID: <1062@hou2h.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 26-Sep-85 16:38:01 EDT
Article-I.D.: hou2h.1062
Posted: Thu Sep 26 16:38:01 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 28-Sep-85 07:27:31 EDT
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Holmdel NJ
Lines: 32

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 1/22/85)


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