page_title: TDRS-5
hierarchical_section_title: TDRS-5
caption_attribution_description: English: The primary payload of the STS-43 mission, Tracking and Data Relay Satellite-E (TDRS-E) attached to an Inertial Upper Stage (IUS) was photographed at the moment of its release from the cargo bay of the Space Shuttle Orbiter Atlantis. The TDRS-E was boosted by the IUS into geosynchronous orbit and positioned to remain stationary 22,400 miles above the Pacific Ocean southwest of Hawaii. The TDRS system provides almost uninterrupted communications with Earth-orbiting Shuttles and satellites, and had replaced the intermittent coverage provided by globe-encircling ground tracking stations used during the early space program. The TDRS can transmit and receive data, and track a user spacecraft in a low Earth orbit. The IUS is an unmarned transportation system designed to ferry payloads from low Earth orbit to higher orbits that are unattainable by the Shuttle. The launch of STS-43 occurred on August 2, 1991.
context_page_description: TDRS-5, known before launch as TDRS-E, is an American communications satellite, of first generation, which is operated by NASA as part of the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System. It was constructed by TRW is based on a custom satellite bus which was used for all seven first generation TDRS satellites.
context_section_description: TDRS-5, known before launch as TDRS-E, is an American communications satellite, of first generation, which is operated by NASA as part of the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System. It was constructed by TRW is based on a custom satellite bus which was used for all seven first generation TDRS satellites.
caption: TDRS-E aboard Atlantis during deployment
exif: {"Image ImageDescription": "STS-43 ONBOARD PHOTO. THE TRACKING AND DATE RELAY SATELLITE (TDRS-E) LEAVES THE PAYLOAD BAY OF THE ORBITER. TDRS WILL BE PLACED IN A GEOSYNCHRONOUS ORBITG AND AFTER ON-ORBIT TESTING WHICH REQUIRES SEVERAL WEEKS, WILL BE DESIGNATED TDRS-5.", "Image Orientation": "Horizontal (normal)", "Image XResolution": "300", "Image YResolution": "300", "Image ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Image Software": "Adobe Photoshop", "Image DateTime": "2014:10:07 20:11:26", "Image ExifOffset": "402", "Thumbnail Compression": "JPEG (old-style)", "Thumbnail XResolution": "72", "Thumbnail YResolution": "72", "Thumbnail ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "EXIF DateTimeDigitized": "2002:08:08 10:51:29", "EXIF ColorSpace": "sRGB", "EXIF ExifImageWidth": "2892", "EXIF ExifImageLength": "3000"}