Deep Space Station 34

Front view of DSS34 showing the round dish, hole in the centre of the dish and quadrapod legs — Deep Space Station 34 is a Beam Wave Guide, 34-metre diameter antenna. It was the first of a new generation of antennas for the DSN.

Quick Stats

First year of Operation: 1997

Type:	Azimuth-Elevation
	Beam Wave Guide

Diameter: 34 metres

Height: 35 metres

Transmit:	X-Band (7145-7235 MHz)
	S Band (2025-2120 MHz)

Receive:	X-Band (8200-8600MHz)
	S-Band (2200-2300 MHz)
	K-Band (25.5-27.0 GHz)
	Ka-Band (31.8-32.3 GHz)
	X-Band Acquisition Aid (8400-8500MHz)

Accuracy:	within 0.004° (pointing)
	within 0.25mm (surface RMS)

Turning: 0.8° per second

Winds:	Stow - steady at 72km/h
	gusts +88km/h
	Design Max. - 160km/h

Deep Space Station 34 (DSS-34) was built from 1994 to 1997. The antenna is very similar in structure to DSS-45, however the transmission and reception equipment is located underground rather than in the centre of the dish. The radio signal is guided from the subreflector through a hole in the surface of the dish and on to the receiving equipment via a system of reflecting mirrors inside a large tube. The reverse process allows transmission. This design is called 'Beam Wave Guide'.

Locating the transmission and reception equipment underground reduces the weight on the dish, minimising the strain on the antenna structure, and also further isolates the electronics from radio noise. An added advantage of the Beam Wave Guide antenna design is that the receiving and transmitting equipment does not tip with the dish.

Find more photos of Deep Space Station 34 in our Gallery.