Citation
Abstract
Continued exploration of the solar system will require continued evolution of capabilities to support deep space communication and navigation. That evolution will rely, as it has in the past, on the development, demonstration, and field testing of new communication and navigation technologies. The existing Deep Space Network (DSN) research and development station, DSS 13, at the Venus site, Goldstone, California, has been instrumental in those prior developments, However, the present antenna is no longer able to provide the necessary support for new technologies. The 26-meter antenna has good performance at S-band, fair performance at X-band, but is unusable at the anticipated Ka-band (32 GHz). It is not suitable for conversion to beam waveguides, and is not usable as a test bed for demonstrating high efficiency because of structural pliancy (it’s too floppy). Additionally, its size and age are increasingly a liability in demonstrations. A new 34-meter beam waveguide version of the existing DSN high efficiency (HEF) antennas has been proposed for the FY88 Construction of Facilities (C of F') budget. The antenna is to be built at the Venus site, adjacent to the old antenna, and serve as the DSN research and development antenna through the end of the century.
Details
- Volume
- 42-88
- Published
- February 15, 1987
- Pages
- 158–163
- File Size
- 842.4 KB