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ABOUT
THE DEEP SPACE NETWORK
The NASA Deep Space
Network - or DSN - is an international network of antennas
that supports interplanetary spacecraft missions and radio and
radar astronomy observations for the exploration of the Solar
System and the universe. The network also supports selected Earth-orbiting
missions.
The DSN currently consists
of three deep-space communications facilities placed approximately
120 degrees apart around the world: near Canberra,
Australia; Goldstone,
in California's Mojave Desert; near Madrid,
Spain. This strategic placement permits constant observation
of spacecraft as the Earth rotates, and helps to make the DSN
the largest and most sensitive scientific telecommunications
system in the world.
Scientific investigation of
the Solar System is being accomplished mainly through the use
of unmanned automated spacecraft. The DSN provides the vital
two-way communications link that guides and controls these planetary
explorers, and brings back the images and new scientific information
they collect. All DSN antennas are steerable, high-gain, parabolic
reflector antennas.
The antennas and data delivery
systems make it possible to:
• Acquire telemetry data from spacecraft.
• Transmit commands to spacecraft.
• Track spacecraft position and velocity.
• Perform very-long-baseline interferometry
observations.
• Measure variations in radio waves
for radio science experiments.
• Gather science data.
• Monitor and control the performance
of the network.
The network is a facility of
NASA, and is managed and operated for NASA by the Jet Propulsion
Laboratory. The Interplanetary Network Directorate (IND) manages
the program within JPL. |
