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The Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex features
a number of antennas that are required daily to receive from,
and transmit information to a wide variety of spacecraft.
The site has four active antennas at present:
There are also several antennas
that have either been dismantled or decommissioned at the Complex
over the years. The original antenna on site - DSS-42
- was dismantled in December 2000, and more recently, DSS-33
(an 11-metre antenna) was decommissioned in February 2002.
To assist in the busy period
in spaceflight at the end of 2003, early 2004, the Complex has
incorporated the 64-metre dish at Parkes in central New South
Wales. This antenna has been recently upgraded by NASA through
the Canberra Complex.
• DSS-49: 64-metre (Parkes)
Other smaller antennas at the
CDSCC are still in use (eg: IMP 8 antenna), or are being
considered for future specialised projects.
The purpose of the Telemetry System is to provide the capability
to acquire, process, decode and distribute deep space probe and
Earth orbiter telemetry data. Telemetry data consists of science
and engineering information modulated on radio signals transmitted
from the spacecraft. The Telemetry System performs three main
functions: Telemetry data acquisition, telemetry data conditioning
and transmission to projects and telemetry system validation.
The purpose of the Command System is to provide the means by
which a Project controls the activities of its spacecraft. Control
information (Command Data), provided by the Project, is modulated
on the RF carrier and transmitted to a spacecraft by a DSN station.
The Command System functions as a transfer medium between the
Project Control Center and its spacecraft.
The purpose of the Tracking System is to provide two-way communication
between Earth based equipment and spacecraft, to make measurements
that will allow the state vector (position and velocity) of spacecraft
to be determined.
The purpose of the Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) System
is to provide the means of directly measuring plane-of-the-sky
angular positions of radio sources (natural or spacecraft), DSN
station locations, interstation time and frequency offsets, and
Earth orientation parameters.
The field of Radio Science improves our knowledge of the solar
system and the theory of general relativity through radio frequency
experiments performed between spacecraft and the Deep Space Network's
(DSN) Radio Science System. In the past, Radio Science has performed
experiments which have allowed scientists to characterize planetary
atmospheres and ionospheres, characterize planetary surfaces,
characterize the planetary rings, characterize the Solar corona,
confirm general relativity, characterize interplanetary plasma,
search for gravitational waves, characterize planetary gravity
, and determine the mass of the planets, moons, and asteroids.
The purpose of the Monitor and Control System is two-fold: to
provide real time monitor data to projects which reflect the
status of project support by DSN systems, and to provide monitor
and control capabilities to operators of DSN systems' components.
In addition to serving as a communications instrument for deep
space exploration, the DSN may be used as an advanced technological
instrument for scientific research and development. The DSN makes
its facilities available to any qualified scientist on a noninterference
basis with spacecraft mission support. The DSN encourages the
use of its facilities for those scientific observations that
exploit its unique elements and capabilities. This includes collaboration
with other NASA and non-NASA observatories.
The DSN anticipates and responds
to user needs. The DSN maintains and upgrades its facilities
to accommodate all of its users. This includes not only the implementation
of enhancements to improve the scientific return from current
experiments and observations, but also long-range research and
development to meet the needs of future scientific endeavors.
The acquisition and extraction of information from signals emitted
or reflected by natural celestial sources; includes studies in
the fields of astrophysics, Earth physics, planetary radar, gravitation
and relativity.
The accurate measurement of radio source positions; includes
astrometry, very long baseline interferometry, connected element
interferometry, interferometry arrays and orbiting interferometry.
Measurement of station locations and Earth orientation for studies
of the Earth.
The measurement of station locations and Earth orientation. The
Global Positioning System (GPS) is a constellation of 24 satellites
which is used for navigation and precise geodetic position measurements.
The GPS, originally developed by the U.S. Department of Defense,
has been applied recently to the study of earthquakes.
Identification and mapping of radio sources to create radio position
reference frames; includes radiometry, polarimetry, spectroscopy
and enhanced spectral analysis. The DSN has built a subnetwork
of 11-meter antennas whose primary purpose is to support two
orbiting VLBI Satellites. Both satellite missions are radio astronomy
projects designed to provide high resolution maps of radio emissions
from natural sources using the technique of Very Long Baseline
Interferometry (VLBI). |
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+ A History of the CDSCC
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