The TPS equipment included FM discriminators, a code translator, a device for converting data from analog to digital form, and magnetic-tape recorders. Basically, the equipment accepted the digital outputs from the tape units, the analog-to-digital converter, and the code translator and put them in digital tape format for the computer input. As the launch operation started on August 27, the powered-flight portion of the space trajectories program was run at launch minus 5 minutes (L minus 5) and was repeated several times because of holds at AMR. The orbit determination program was run at lift-off to calculate the first orbit predictions used for aiding the DSIF in finding the spacecraft in flight. During the 12 hours following launch, both C and D Stations performed parallel computations on tracking data. Station D discontinued space flight operations at L plus 12 hours and resumed at the beginning of the midcourse maneuver phase. Tracking data processing and midcourse maneuver studies were conducted daily until the midcourse maneuver was performed at L plus eight days. For the following 97 days, tracking data were processed once each week for orbit determination. Starting three days before the encounter, tracking data were processed daily until the beginning of the encounter phase. Tracking data processing was conducted in near-real time throughout encounter day, and daily for two days thereafter. For these three days, tracking data were handled in Station D in order to permit exclusive use of Station C for telemetry data processing and analysis. After this three-day period, including the encounter, Station C processed the tracking data every sixth day until the mission terminated on L plus 129 days. Telemetry data were processed in a different manner. Following the launch, DSIF Station 5 at South Africa received the telemetry signal first, demodulated it, and put it in the proper format for teletype transmission to JPL. The other DSIF stations followed in sequence as the spacecraft was heard in other parts of the world. For two days after launch, the computers processed telemetry data as required by the Spacecraft Data Analysis Team. During those periods when the large computer was processing tracking data, a secondary unit supplied quick-look data in near-real time. When Goldstone was listening to the spacecraft, quick-look data were processed in real time, using the high-speed data line direct to the Central Computing Facility.