The primary TDRS ground segment is located near Las Cruces, New Mexico and consists of two functionally identical ground terminals (White Sands Ground Terminal, WSGT and Second TDRS Ground Terminal, STGT) collectively known as the White Sands Complex. Customer forward data is uplinked from the ground segment to a TDRS and relayed from the TDRS to the customer spacecraft. Return data is relayed from the customer spacecraft through a TDRS to the WSC ground segment and then on to the customer designated data collection location. As a use spacecraft orbits the earth, it will come into and out of view of one of the three operational TDRS locations in geosynchronous orbit. The user will move from one TDRS to another throughout its orbit continually.

Currently the TDRS K/L team is working with the Space Network to upgrade the WSC ground system for the new generation of TDRS. This very intense process involves modernized Command and Telemetry systems, new generation Ground Based Beamformers (GBBF), two Ka-Band End-to-End Test Antenna systems, and  SGLT Upgrades associated with the new TDRS K & L Spacecraft all while the Space Network remains continually operational with little to no interruption of service for the Space Network's customers.