TDRS-13

TDRS-13, also known as TDRS-M before launch, is the thirteenth and final satellite in the first generation Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) series launched by NASA. It is a communications satellite designed to provide high-bandwidth communication services to spacecraft in low Earth orbit (LEO), such as the International Space Station (ISS) and the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). Launched on August 18, 2017, aboard an Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, TDRS-13 operates as part of the TDRS system, a network of geosynchronous satellites strategically positioned to provide near-continuous communication coverage. This system allows for significantly increased data transfer rates and real-time command and control capabilities for spacecraft that would otherwise have limited or intermittent contact with ground stations. TDRS-13 provides S-band, Ku-band, and Ka-band communication capabilities, expanding the overall capacity and redundancy of the TDRS network.