TDRSS Ground Segment Implementation

Abstract

The Ground Segment of the TDRS System is a highly complex family of automated communications equipment that is capable of providing a wide variety of ground communications signal processing capabilities to satisfy the special needs of each of the many user satellites. These needs are accommodated simultaneously for as many as 28 user satellites. This paper complements the previous papers in describing the Ground Segment functions and the implementation of the hardware that provides these functions. It describes the seven antennas needed to establish the communications paths to the four TDR satellites that make up the TDRSS. The forward services, return services, tracking services and self-test verification services are described. The descriptions cover the extreme versatility for providing frequencies, bandwidths, modulation/demodulation needs, data formats and data rates that are required by the specific users. Performance characteristics are presented for the key elements of the ground segment.