NASA Orbital Map

On NASA's giant orbital map, there are numerous lines and abbreviations.
SAA stands for South Atlantic Anomaly or the high radiation area.
I'm guessing the two large areas marked by lines stretching almost to
the poles are TDRS coverage areas, is this correct? It seems to
indicate that the TDRS gap is right over the USA, which doesn't seem
correct.

Are the other areas ground tracking station coverage?

When the ISS is shown on the map, there are considerable more areas
drawn, particularly over Russia, so I figure these show Russian ground
station coverage areas, is this correct?

HTSS appears to be a ground station in Hawai'i, and GTSS another station
in Guam. What are some of the other abbreviations on the map?

Jessica wrote:
On NASA's giant orbital map, there are numerous lines and abbreviations.
SAA stands for South Atlantic Anomaly or the high radiation area. I'm
guessing the two large areas marked by lines stretching almost to the
poles are TDRS coverage areas, is this correct? It seems to indicate
that the TDRS gap is right over the USA, which doesn't seem correct.

They are TDRSS coverage areas, but the interpretation of the areas are
the reverse of what you write. Due to the shuttle's altitude the
coverage extends past 90 degrees from each TDRS. The area over the USA
is not the gap between coverage, but overlap of two satellites.

Are the other areas ground tracking station coverage?

When the ISS is shown on the map, there are considerable more areas
drawn, particularly over Russia, so I figure these show Russian ground
station coverage areas, is this correct?

Yes.

HTSS appears to be a ground station in Hawai'i, and GTSS another station
in Guam. What are some of the other abbreviations on the map?

MILA = Merritt Island Launch Area, for example.

A friend asked me today about the small yellow disk that appears
on the three-part map. Sun? Moon? Something else?


Patty