{"id":71348,"date":"2021-09-01T16:02:00","date_gmt":"2021-09-01T20:02:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/?migration=converted-node-473684"},"modified":"2023-09-19T18:42:15","modified_gmt":"2023-09-19T22:42:15","slug":"nasas-deep-space-network-looks-to-the-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/technology\/nasas-deep-space-network-looks-to-the-future\/","title":{"rendered":"NASA\u2019s Deep Space Network Looks to the Future"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-none \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/1_goldstone-70m-dish-16.jpg\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/1_goldstone-70m-dish-16.jpg?w=1600\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"The 70-meter (330-foot) Deep Space Station 14 (DSS-14) \" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/1_goldstone-70m-dish-16.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/1_goldstone-70m-dish-16.jpg?resize=300,169 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/1_goldstone-70m-dish-16.jpg?resize=768,432 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/1_goldstone-70m-dish-16.jpg?resize=1024,576 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/1_goldstone-70m-dish-16.jpg?resize=1536,864 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/1_goldstone-70m-dish-16.jpg?resize=400,225 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/1_goldstone-70m-dish-16.jpg?resize=600,338 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/1_goldstone-70m-dish-16.jpg?resize=900,506 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/1_goldstone-70m-dish-16.jpg?resize=1200,675 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" loading=\"eager\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">The 70-meter (230-foot) Deep Space Station 14 (DSS-14) is the largest Deep Space Network antenna at the Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex near Barstow, California.<\/div><div class=\"hds-credits\"><strong><em>Credits: NASA\/JPL-Caltech<\/em><\/strong><\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p><em>The DSN is being upgraded to communicate with more spacecraft than ever before and to accommodate evolving mission needs.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When NASA\u2019s Mars 2020 Perseverance rover <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jpl.nasa.gov\/news\/touchdown-nasas-mars-perseverance-rover-safely-lands-on-red-planet\" rel=\"noopener\">touched down<\/a> on the Red Planet, the agency\u2019s Deep Space Network (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/directorates\/heo\/scan\/services\/networks\/deep_space_network\" rel=\"noopener\">DSN<\/a>) was there, enabling the mission to send and receive the data that helped make the event possible. When OSIRIS-REx <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/feature\/goddard\/2020\/osiris-rex-tags-surface-of-asteroid-bennu\" rel=\"noopener\">took samples<\/a> of asteroid Bennu this past year, the DSN played a crucial role, not just in sending the command sequence to the probe, but also in transmitting its stunning photos back to Earth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The network has been the backbone of NASA\u2019s deep space communications since 1963, supporting 39 missions regularly, with more than 30 NASA missions in development. The team behind it is now working hard to increase capacity, making a number of improvements to the network that will help advance future space exploration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Managed by NASA\u2019s Jet Propulsion Laboratory for the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/directorates\/heo\/scan\/index.html\" rel=\"noopener\">Space Communications and Navigation Program<\/a>, based at NASA Headquarters within the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/directorates\/heo\/index.html\" rel=\"noopener\">Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate<\/a>, the DSN is what enables missions to track, send commands to, and receive scientific data from faraway spacecraft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The network consists of tracking antennas across three complexes evenly spaced around the world at the Goldstone complex near Barstow, California; in Madrid, Spain; and in Canberra, Australia. In addition to supporting missions, the antennas are regularly used to conduct radio science \u2013 studying planets, black holes, and tracking near-Earth objects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cCapacity is a big pressure, and our antenna-enhancement program is going to help that out. This includes the building of two new antennas, increasing our number from 12 to 14,\u201d said JPL\u2019s Michael Levesque, deputy director of the DSN.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Explore NASA\u2019s 70-Meter Deep Space Communications Dish (360\u00b0 Video)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/bzkWEWLrq8I?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Explore NASA\u2019s massive 70-meter (230-foot) DSS-14 antenna at the Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex in Barstow, California, in this 360-degree video. Along with communicating with spacecraft throughout the solar system, DSS-14 and other DSN antennas can also be used to conduct radio science.<br>Credits: NASA\/JPL-Caltech<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Network Upgrades<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In January 2021, the DSN welcomed its 13th dish to the family. Named Deep Space Station 56 (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.jpl.nasa.gov\/news\/nasas-deep-space-network-welcomes-a-new-dish-to-the-family\" rel=\"noopener\">DSS-56<\/a>), this new 34-meter-wide (112-foot-wide) dish in Madrid is an \u201call-in-one\u201d antenna. Previously constructed antennas are limited in the frequency bands they can receive and transmit, often restricting them to communicating with specific spacecraft. DSS-56 was the first to use the DSN\u2019s full range of communication frequencies as soon as it went online and can communicate with all the missions that the DSN supports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Soon after bringing DSS-56 online, the DSN team completed 11 months of critical upgrades to Deep Space Station 43 (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.jpl.nasa.gov\/news\/nasas-deep-space-station-in-australia-is-getting-an-upgrade\" rel=\"noopener\">DSS-43<\/a>), the massive 70-meter (230-foot) antenna in Canberra. DSS-43 is the only dish in the Southern Hemisphere with a transmitter powerful enough, and that broadcasts the right frequency, to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jpl.nasa.gov\/news\/nasa-contacts-voyager-2-using-upgraded-deep-space-network-dish\" rel=\"noopener\">send commands<\/a> to the distant Voyager 2 spacecraft, which is now in interstellar space. With rebuilt transmitters and upgraded facilities equipment, DSS-43 will serve the network for decades to come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe refresh of DSS-43 was a huge accomplishment, and we\u2019re on our way to take care of the next two 70-meter antennas in Goldstone and Madrid. And we\u2019ve continued to deliver new antennas to address growing demand \u2013 all during COVID-19,\u201d said JPL\u2019s Brad Arnold, manager of the DSN.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The improvements are part of a project to meet not just the heightened demand, but also evolving mission needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Missions increasingly generate more data than in the past. The data rate from deep space spacecraft has grown by more than 10 times since the first lunar missions in the 1960s. As NASA looks toward sending humans to Mars, this need for higher data volumes will only increase further.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><i><em>Check in on which spacecraft the Deep Space Network\u2019s antennas are currently communicating with via <a href=\"\/\/eyes.nasa.gov\/dsn\/dsn.html\">DSN Now<\/a>. Click on a dish to learn more. Credit: NASA\/JPL-Caltech <\/em><\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Optical communications is one tool that can help meet this demand for higher data volumes by using lasers to enable higher-bandwidth communication. Over the next few years, NASA has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/feature\/goddard\/2021\/nasa-laser-communications-innovations-a-timeline\" rel=\"noopener\">several missions<\/a> planned to demonstrate laser communications that will enhance the agency\u2019s ability to explore farther into space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>New Approaches<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The network is also focusing on new approaches to how it goes about its work. For instance, for most of the DSN\u2019s history, each complex was operated locally. Now, with a protocol called \u201cFollow the Sun,\u201d each complex takes turns running the entire network during their day shift and then hands off control to the next complex at the end of the day in that region \u2013 essentially, a global relay race that takes place every 24 hours.<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-none \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/dsn-trio-2-1041.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1791\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/dsn-trio-2-1041.jpg?w=1791\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"DSN posters\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/dsn-trio-2-1041.jpg 1791w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/dsn-trio-2-1041.jpg?resize=300,151 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/dsn-trio-2-1041.jpg?resize=768,386 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/dsn-trio-2-1041.jpg?resize=1024,515 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/dsn-trio-2-1041.jpg?resize=1536,772 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/dsn-trio-2-1041.jpg?resize=400,201 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/dsn-trio-2-1041.jpg?resize=600,302 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/dsn-trio-2-1041.jpg?resize=900,452 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/dsn-trio-2-1041.jpg?resize=1200,603 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1791px) 100vw, 1791px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">Three eye-catching posters featuring the larger 70-meter (230-foot) antennas located at the three Deep Space Network complexes around the world. Download posters<\/div><div class=\"hds-credits\"><strong><em>Credits: NASA\/JPL-Caltech<\/em><\/strong><\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>The resulting cost savings have been fed into antenna enhancements, and the effort has also strengthened the international cooperation between the complexes. \u201cEach site works with the other sites, not just during handover periods, but also on maintenance and how antennas are performing on any given day. We\u2019ve really turned into a globally operating network,\u201d said Levesque.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The network has also implemented new approaches to managing deep space communications. For instance, in the past, if multiple spacecraft circling Mars needed to be serviced at the same time, the network would have to point one antenna per spacecraft at Mars, potentially using all the antennas at a given complex. With a new protocol, the DSN can receive multiple signals from a single antenna and split them in the digital receiver. \u201cWe adapted this from commercial telecommunication implementations to the benefit of our network efficiency,\u201d said Arnold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An additional new protocol allows operators to oversee multiple activities simultaneously. Traditionally, each spacecraft activity had a single dedicated operator. Now, the DSN uses an approach that leverages automation to allow each operator to oversee multiple spacecraft links simultaneously. For the first time, the DSN can now fully automate the sequencing and execution of tracking passes, and the effort will continue to be enhanced over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe future of the DSN is going to follow the spirit and the drive of science missions that are flying out there. It\u2019s our responsibility to enable them. And we do that through communications,\u201d said Arnold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Ian J. O\u2019Neill<\/strong><br> Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.<br> 818-354-2649<br> <a href=\"mailto:ian.j.oneill@jpl.nasa.gov\">ian.j.oneill@jpl.nasa.gov<\/a><br> Written by Laurance Fauconnet<br> 2021-182<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The DSN is being upgraded to communicate with more spacecraft than ever before and to accommodate evolving mission needs. When NASA\u2019s Mars 2020 Perseverance rover touched down on the Red Planet, the agency\u2019s Deep Space Network (DSN) was there, enabling the mission to send and receive the data that helped make the event possible. When [...]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":53,"featured_media":74892,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nasa_hds_core_meta_l10n":"en-US","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_editor":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_contacts":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_topic":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_linked_locations":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_related_articles":[],"hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_id":"","hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_type":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_x":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_y":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_gallery_images":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[2661,10576,3316],"news-tags":[],"internal-terms":[8605,12642,8612],"coauthors":[12651],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"NASA\u2019s Deep Space Network Looks to the Future","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/technology\/nasas-deep-space-network-looks-to-the-future\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/technology\/nasas-deep-space-network-looks-to-the-future\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/1_goldstone-70m-dish-16.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/1_goldstone-70m-dish-16.jpg"},"articleSection":"Technology","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Jet Propulsion Laboratory"}],"creator":["Jet Propulsion Laboratory"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"NASA","logo":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/themes\/nasa\/assets\/images\/nasa-logo.svg"},"keywords":["Technology","Communicating and Navigating with Missions","Deep Space Network"],"dateCreated":"2021-09-01T20:02:00Z","datePublished":"2021-09-01T20:02:00Z","dateModified":"2023-09-19T22:42:15Z"},"rendered":"<meta name=\"parsely-title\" content=\"NASA\u2019s Deep Space Network Looks to the Future\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-link\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/technology\/nasas-deep-space-network-looks-to-the-future\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-type\" content=\"post\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-image-url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/1_goldstone-70m-dish-16.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-pub-date\" content=\"2021-09-01T20:02:00Z\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-section\" content=\"Technology\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-tags\" content=\"Technology,Communicating and Navigating with Missions,Deep Space Network\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-author\" content=\"Jet Propulsion Laboratory\" \/>","tracker_url":"https:\/\/cdn.parsely.com\/keys\/nasa.gov\/p.js"},"read_time":6,"time_ago":"3 years","featured_image":{"id":74892,"file":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/1_goldstone-70m-dish-16.jpg","title":"1_goldstone-70m-dish-16","alt":"The 70-meter (330-foot) Deep Space Station 14 (DSS-14)","caption":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71348"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/53"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=71348"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71348\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":511704,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71348\/revisions\/511704"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/74892"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=71348"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=71348"},{"taxonomy":"news-tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-tags?post=71348"},{"taxonomy":"internal-terms","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/internal-terms?post=71348"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=71348"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}