Mariner II Deep Space Telecommunications

Abstract

Two major telecommunication activities were in process during the Venus encounter of 1962, the largest, activity involved the two-way communications and tracking of the Mariner spacecraft from the DSIF (Deep Space Instrumentation Facility) stations on the earth. The first, and by far the largest activity involved the two-way communications and tracking of the Mariner spacecraft from the DSIF stations on the earth. The DSIF includes stations at Goldstone, California; Woomera, Australia; and Johannesburg, South Africa. The second activity involved an earth-based radar which reflected signals off the planet Venus during the same month that the Mariner spacecraft was traveling toward the planet.