5 thoughts on “The Deep Space Network”

    1. NASA: “Senators, we would propose contracting with private companies to provide launch services so that we can focus on building the necessary infrastructure to support a moon-base.”

      Senate: “We’ll only fund a giant rocket and that will be your sole budget item that is fully funded. What you launch with it is your business as long as you adhere to your budget.”

      NASA: “Yes, sir!”

  2. I think they’ve made a mistake in having three sites instead of more broadly distributing the location so that multiple antennas can broadcast without swamping reception. At present only one uplink signal can be sent at a time. If the transmitting antennas were far over the horizon from the receiving antennas, there shouldn’t be issues at microwave frequencies.

    Oh, and they need more antennas.

  3. Putting these antennas on a spinning ball such that they are constantly going out of line-of-sight is a bit 20th century.

  4. Am I the only one who thinks that if the DSN is getting overloaded with private sector/educational etc. ventures, there is a market – or more than one – for communicating with said ventures’ spacecraft?

    NASA protests that the DSN can provide services that the private sector couldn’t. Well, maybe for certain NASA ‘flagships’ and the like, but…really, no one can serve the others?

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