[3] TDRS-E was deployed from Atlantis around six hours after launch, and was raised to geostationary orbit by means of an Inertial Upper Stage.

[3] The twin-stage solid-propellent Inertial Upper Stage made two burns.

The first stage burn occurred shortly after deployment, from Atlantis, and placed the satellite into a geostationary transfer orbit (GTO).

Around six hours later, it reached apogee, and the second stage fired, placing TDRS-E into geosynchronous orbit.

It was placed at a position over the equator, 174.0° West of the Greenwich Meridian,[1] from where it provides communications services to spacecraft in Earth orbit, including the Space Shuttle and International Space Station.