A Deep Space Network Portable Radio Science Receiver

摘要

The Radio Science Receiver (RSR) is an open-loop receiver installed in NASA's Deep Space Network (DSN), which digitally filters and records intermediate-frequency (IF) analog signals. The RSR is an important tool for the Cassini Project, which uses it to measure perturbations of the radio-frequency wave as it travels between the spacecraft and the ground stations, allowing highly detailed study of the composition of the rings, atmosphere, and surface of Saturn and its satellites. The RSR is also used to track and detect the signals for important events in other missions such as the Mars Exploration Rover (MER) entry descent and landing (EDL). Some of these events require extra RSRs or require them to be shipped to non-DSN stations such as the 100-meter Greenbank Telescope (GBT) in West Virginia. Sending and installing an RSR consisting of a large DSN rack to one of these sites is a daunting and expensive task. A smaller, more portable equivalent to the RSR was needed both for these special events and to enhance the existing capability of the DSN.