On 20 April, the 70-metre antenna at the Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex in California got stuck as it rotated to receive data from the Cassini spacecraft (Image: NASA)
NASA’s (DSN) is in the process of being renovated, and not a moment too soon. One of the network’s ageing radio dishes stopped in its tracks last month, resulting in the loss of important data from the Cassini spacecraft.
DSN antennas in California, Spain and Australia relay signals to and from spacecraft that are beyond near-Earth orbit. Three 70-metre and ten 34-metre dishes now support 36 missions, including…
