It’s Launch Day! NASA’s Tracking and Data Relay Satellite is ready for launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Complex 41. Liftoff is scheduled for 9:05 p.m. EST, the opening of a 40-minute launch window. Live coverage on NASA TV begins at 6:30 p.m. The TDRS-L spacecraft is the second of three new satellites designed to ensure vital operational continuity for NASA by expanding the lifespan of the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) fleet, which consists of eight satellites in geosynchronous orbit. The spacecraft provide tracking, telemetry, command and high bandwidth data return services for numerous science and human exploration missions orbiting Earth. Image Credit: NASA/Daniel Casper #nasa #space #tdrs #rocket #rocketlaunch #nasa #launch #ksc #kennedy #ula #atlasv #hst #hubble #countdown #321launch #centaur #iss #mars