NASA Breaks Ground For Deep-Space Network Antennas

摘要

NASA officials broke ground near Canberra, Australia to begin a new antenna-building campaign to improve Deep Space Network communications. Following the recommendations of an independent study, NASA embarked on an ambitious project to replace its aging collection of 230-ft-wide dishes with a new 112-ft. antenna by 2025.The three 70-m antennas are more than 40 years old and located at the NASA Deep Space Network complexes at Goldstone, CA, Madrid, Spain, and Canberra.rnThe newantennas, known as"beam-wave-guide"antennas, can be used more flexibly. They allowthe network tooperate on several different frequency bands with a single antenna. In addition, their electronic equipment is more accessible, making maintenance easier and less costly.