The Deep Space Network (DSN) is a global network of radio telescopes and related facilities that supports interplanetary spacecraft missions. It also performs radio and radar astronomy observations for the benefit of the scientific community. The DSN consists of three deep-space communications complexes, located in Goldstone, California (USA); Madrid, Spain; and Canberra, Australia. Each complex is composed of a large number of antennas, transmitters and receivers, massive data storage facilities, command & control equipment, and support personnel.
The DSN provides tracking, telemetry, commanding, high-rate data return services, and some astronomical measurements for NASA’s interplanetary spacecraft missions. In addition to its mission as a communication infrastructure for space exploration, the DSN also functions as an international astronomical facility available to scientists from around the world who wish to use its unique capabilities for their own research programs.
Operations at the DSN are conducted 24 hours a day by teams of engineers, technicians and scientists working in shifts. The DSN complexes communicate with spacecraft via S-band (2 GHz) or X-band (8 GHz) radio waves transmitted through giant parabolic antennas called “dishes.” The dishes focus on small areas of the sky where distant spacecraft are located at any given time. When communicating with spacecraft that are far away or moving quickly relative to Earth—such as those on their way to Mars—the DSN must use very sensitive receivers and powerful transmitters operating at extremely high data rates in order to receive useful information from the spacecraft while it is within range.
As digital technology has advanced over the years so too has the capability of the Deep Space Network. Newer generation systems allow more information to be transmitted in less time than ever before possible making real-time operations increasingly common place across all aspects mission control including: project management; navigation; science planning; sequence development; flight software development & integration; instrument commanding; attitude determination & control; ground station engineering & integration; telecommunications engineering & operations; calibration & characterisation activities necessary prior to launch as well as routine maintenance tasks during a mission’s lifetime