TDRS-1 (IUS)

Launch data:

Location:

Mission details:

• The first TDRS 1 satellite was deployed during STS-6, the maiden flight of Challenger, in April 1983.
• During the launch of TDRS-1 the Inertial Upper Stage (IUS) malfunctioned. A two-stage solid-fuelled vehicle, the first stage of the IUS performed nominally however during the second stage burn control of the vehicle was lost.
• The satellite was deployed into an orbit with a perigee approximately 13,000 kilometres (8,000 mi, 7,000 nmi) below geosynchronous orbit, with its period five and three-quarter hours shorter than expected.
• Despite this partial failure the satellite was able to recover to its operational orbit, making a series of firings with its manoeuvring thrusters which gradually raised the perigee over the period of several months.
• On 3 Feb 1997 a failure occured on 1 of the gyros. The traffic was taken over be TDRS 6
  
• TDRS-1 exceeded its design life almost four times over, finally being decommissioned in June 2010 after its final amplifier failed.