At 5:59 p.m. Eastern Time on March 8. 2002. NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite-I.
or TDRS-I. successfully launched aboard an Atlas IIA rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Florida.
TDRS-I is the second in a series of three advanced Tracking and Data Relay satellites
that provide high data-rate support to the International Space Station and Space
Shuttle with high-resolution digital television.
This trio of advanced satellites replenished and augmented the original six on-orbit TDRS.
which have served numerous national and international missions since the 1980's.