New Next-Gen Dish Boosts NASA's Deep Space Communication Capabilities

NASA has significantly enhanced its deep space communication and navigation infrastructure with the addition of a new 34-meter (114-foot) radio frequency antenna at its Goldstone facility in California. This cutting-edge dish is now part of a global network of large antennas that supports over 40 spacecraft on missions across the solar system and into interstellar space.

The newly operational antenna, designated Deep Space Station 23 (DSS-23), is situated at the Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex, managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). The addition of DSS-23 is a key milestone in the Deep Space Network's Aperture Enhancement Project, initiated in 2009 to upgrade and expand the network's capacity. The project involves the installation of six new 34-meter multifrequency beam-waveguide antennas, designed for versatility across various mission radio frequencies.

James Kenyon, associate administrator of NASA's Research and Technology Mission Directorate, emphasized the strategic importance of this expansion: "By expanding the Deep Space Network, we are strengthening the communications foundation NASA needs for the bold missions ahead — from exploring more of the Moon than ever before to peering deeper into the solar system. This new antenna will help us deliver on our national goals for space exploration and push beyond the limits of what once seemed impossible."

Following a comprehensive testing phase from May to July, DSS-23 began its operational duties on August 3rd, by tracking NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory. Since then, it has been instrumental in maintaining contact with numerous missions, including NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, Psyche, Juno, Voyager 1, and other robotic explorers in deep space.

JPL Director Dave Gallagher stated, "The addition of this next-generation antenna brings us closer to a completely modernized network that embraces advanced technology to ensure NASA’s leadership in deep space communications. After over 60 years of continuous operations supporting consequential missions, these upgrades prime the network for a new era of exploration. The teams that designed, planned, and built DSS-23 should be proud."

Enhanced Capabilities

The construction of DSS-23 commenced in February 2020. After its 133-ton reflector was installed in December 2024, engineers proceeded with fitting the panels and meticulously calibrating the antenna to synchronize with the rest of the network.

DSS-23 is the fifth antenna at the Goldstone complex, which now hosts three 34-meter antennas and one 70-meter antenna. It is also the fifth antenna added as part of the enhancement project, which spans the DSN's global sites in Goldstone, Madrid, and Canberra, Australia. The multifrequency beam waveguide design directs signals to an underground, climate-controlled room, eliminating the need for heavy electronics on the moving dish. This configuration not only offers flexibility but also simplifies maintenance and upgrades.

Germaine Aziz, manager of the Deep Space Network Aperture Enhancement Project at JPL, highlighted the project's complexity: "The biggest challenge wasn’t actually constructing the antenna. It was transforming a complex collection of mechanical, electrical, software, radio frequency, and infrastructure systems into a single, mission-ready asset. Every subsystem must be integrated, calibrated, and verified to operate with extraordinary precision and reliability before it can support NASA’s deep space missions."

The enhancement project will conclude with the commissioning of a sixth project antenna, Deep Space Station 33, at the Canberra facility in 2029. This will bring the total number of 34-meter antennas across the network to 13. These 34-meter antennas can be arrayed (combined and operated together) to provide a communication backup equivalent to each facility's single 70-meter antenna. As the 70-meter antennas are becoming increasingly costly to maintain and repair after over 50 years of operation, this upgrade is crucial.

JPL, managed by Caltech for NASA, oversees the Deep Space Network under the guidance of NASA’s Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) Program. Over 100 NASA and non-NASA missions, including those supporting astronauts on the International Space Station, future Artemis missions, Earth monitoring, lunar exploration, and deeper space exploration, rely on the Deep Space Network and the Near Space Network.

For more information on the Deep Space Network, please visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/communicating-with-missions/dsn