DSN Science

Solar System Radar
The DSN Radar Science Services enable scientists to use the Deep Space Network for direct scientific observations. The Goldstone Solar System Radar (GSSR), implemented on the DSS-14 antenna, is the only fully steerable planetary radar system in the world, a characteristic that makes it extremely valuable for observations of Near-Earth asteroids and comets, which typically orbit the Earth at a wide variety of declinations. In addition to observing near-Earth asteroids, observations of other bodies in the solar system may also be conducted (e.g., Mercury, Venus, Titan) using the DSN Radar Science Services. Furthermore, the radar system is used to support Orbital Debris observations. While most of the Radar Science observations are conducted at the DSS-14 antenna using GSSR, additional experimental capabilities are available at DSS-13 and other Beam Waveguide antennas. The GSSR may receive and analyze signals from several antennas. Antennas at other Complexes, most notably the Canberra Complex, have been used for planetary radar observations.

• GSSR learning manual
• GSSR Improved Capabilities

DSN Radio Astronomy
The Radio Astronomy Services uses the high gain, low system noise temperature, antennas of the DSN to make observations of RF emitting astronomical sources. The Radio Astronomy capabilities are intimately related to the DSN's R&D programs in science and technology. For observations within standard DSN communications bands, users are provided conditioned IF signals. These IF signals can then become input to either DSN-supplied special purpose receiving and data acquisition equipment being used for R&D or user supplied equipment. For observations outside the standard communications bands, investigators can use special purpose R&D microwave and receiving equipment, when available.

Radio Astronomers using DSN antennas as part of a network in Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) observations receive digitized and formatted samples of an open-loop signal on Mark-5 disks (or network file transfer in circa 2023). The data could then be correlated with other non-DSN antenna signals at the experimenter’s facility.

• DSN Radio Astronomy Proposal and Scheduling Guide
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• Radio Astronomy Users Guide


• The 17-27 GHz Dual Horn Receiver on the NASA 70 m Canberra Antenna
  by T. B. H. Kuiper et al.


• Pulsar Timing at the Deep Space Network
  by J. Kocz, W. Majid, L. White, L. Snedeker, & M. Franco


• A Broadband Digital Spectrometer for the Deep Space Network
  by K. Virkler, J. Kocz, M. Soriano, S. Horiuchi, J. L. Pineda, & T. McNichols