TDRS spacecraft to be built by Hughes

Hughes Space and Communications' HS-601 spacecraft bus has been selected for NASA's second generation Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) system, under a $482 million contract. The first seven TDRS were built by TRW - the last of which flies on the STS70/Discovery in June. The first HS-601 craft, the TDRS H, will be launched in 1999 and will be followed by TDRS I and J, (Flight International, 8-14 March). The new TDRS will add Kaband capacity to the fleet, transmission from, which are now on the Ku and S bands.

Source: Flight International