NASA upgrades its Deep Space Network for Modern Interplanetary Communications

NASA is working on upgrades of the Deep Space Network as the space center sends more and more missions across the solar system. The space agency is trying to upgrade interplanetary communications. NASA is upgrading its antenna-enhancement program that would help rebuild capacity. Under the program,  will build two new antennas. The  team has also upgraded the 70-meter dish at Canberra.

NASA next planned upgrades include the Madrid and Goldstone receivers. These systems are the latest and can manage multiple signals received at one antenna and forward to the digital receiver. This could allow tracking numerous signals received from missions sent to Mars. New approaches for the Deep Space Network have also been designed. The DSN previously operated locally.

However, now the DSN operates under the “follow the Sun” mantra. The team allotted to control the DSN in the day shift handles the whole DSN network. Each site of the DSN is connected with other sites of the DSN.The team not just manages each site during handover periods but also keeps maintenance of each site and examines the antennas and their performance.

NASA, as part of the DSN up-gradation, has also tested the optical laser line-of-sight communication. Additionally, it is planning several missions to test ad upgrade the infrared laser relays.The Deep Space Network has guided many crews that carried their missions to Moon as well as Mars. It has guided the spacecraft, rovers, and humans as well, carrying their mission across the solar system.