WEBVTT FILE

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Music

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Music

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Thirty years ago, NASA launched

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into a new era of high
bandwidth, continuous

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space communication with the
Tracking and Data Relay

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Satellite, TDRS...

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Music

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Today, NASA is

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continuing this legacy by
launching the first of the next
generation of

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satellites, TDRS-K. (countdown
10. 9 ..)

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At Cape Canaveral, the TDRS-K
spacecraft sits (countdown 8,
7. 6 ...)

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atop an Atlas 5 rocket ready
for launch... (countdown 5. 4.
3 ...)

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(countdown 2, 1, and)

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(countdown LIFT OFF! of the
Atlas 5 rocket carrying)

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(the next generation of
Tracking and Data Relay)

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(Satellites - TDRS-K) After a
4-minute burn

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the Atlas 5 main engine
separates from

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the Centaur engine, and drops
back to Earth.

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Shortly after separation of the
main engine,

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the protective shield that
covers the payload, called the

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fairing, separates to reveal
the TDRS-K spacecraft.

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After boosting the spacecraft

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to geosynchronous transfer
orbit, the TDRS

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spacecraft separates from the
Centaur engine.

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Shortly after this separation,
the two folded

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Single Access antenna
reflectors are released to take

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their natural parabolic shape.

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Over the next 11 days, through
a series of engine firings

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the TDRS on board rocket guides
the

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spacecraft to its final
location in geosynchronous
orbit.

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Once arriving at this orbit,

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the spacecraft starts its
deployment sequence by unfolding

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the first solar array. Next,

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the two single access antennas
are deployed and locked

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into position. These antennas
are designed

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to track and communicate with
low-Earth orbit satellites.

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After the single access
antennas are

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secured into place, the second
solar array starts to

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unfold and the SGL

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and Omni antennas are deployed.

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Once TDRS-K

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completes this deployment
sequence, its now ready for

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a 3 month period of testing
calibration before being placed

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into service. With this
addition of

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TDRS-K and the upcoming
launches of

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TDRS-L and M, NASA has

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assured the future of
continuous Space to Ground

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Communication.

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Beep

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Beep

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Beep