NASA’s Transition to Commercial Satellite Communications

NASA is in the process of transitioning from its legacy Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) system to satellite communications operated by commercial entities for missions close to Earth. This change is intended to improve service coverage and availability, as well as speed up data delivery by taking advantage of commercial innovations and investments in satellite communications infrastructure. While the legacy TDRS system will still support ongoing projects, it will no longer take on new missions. Instead, future missions will utilize commercial services for their satellite communication needs.