Giant Antenna to be Dedicated at Goldstone, Cal.
News release of dedication, specifications, and operation of space tracking and telemetry 210 foot diameter antenna at Goldstone, Calif.
TRACKING ANTENNA↗
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The NASA/JPL 64-meter-diameter antenna at Goldstone, California: Project report, technical staff, tracking and data acquisition organization
The significant management and technical aspects of the JPL Project to develop and implement a 64-meter-diameter antenna at the Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex in California, which was the first of the Advanced Antenna Systems of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration/Jet Propulsion Laboratory Deep Space Network are described. The original need foreseen for a large-diameter antenna to accomplish communication and tracking support of NASA's solar system exploration program is reviewed, and the translation of those needs into the technical specification of an appropriate ground station antenna is described. The antenna project is delineated by phases to show the key technical and managerial skills and the technical facility resources involved. There is a brief engineering description of the antenna and its closely related facilities. Some difficult and interesting engineering problems, then at the state-of-the-art level, which were met in the accomplishment of the Project, are described. The key performance characteristics of the antenna, in relation to the original specifications and the methods of their determination, are stated.
Source record↗
A versatile data acquisition system for Goldstone
A data acquisition system set up at Goldstone was described. It is capable of recording a wide variety of parameters from widely separated geographical locations with varying integration times and recording speeds. It is fast, accurate, and modular in form so that it can be readily expanded. The accuracies of the system are discussed, and examples of data recorded with the system's capability of operation with preprocessing are given.
Reid, M. S.↗
An approach to improve management visibility within the procurement and financial group at Goldstone
Improvements in the operational efficiency of the data management systems at the Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex (GDSCC) are discussed. This addresses the existing procurement and financial management data system at GDSCC, identifies management requirements for better visibility, describes a proposed computerized data management system, summarizes results to data, and identifies plans for future development.
Maiocco, F. R.↗
X-band atmospheric noise temperature statistics at Goldstone DSS 13, 1975 - 1976
X-band noise temperature data were taken at Goldstone DSS 13 for the period August 1975 through January 1977. A description of the experiment is given along with probability density functions for zenith noise temperature increase during all year quarters and day quarters. Elevation angle modeling of the data is described along with a discussion of the problems associated with relating wide beamwidth statistics to narrow beamwidth antennas.
Slobin, S.↗
The high-power X-band planetary radar at Goldstone - Design, development, and early results
Selected critical microwave components for a 400-kW very-long-pulse (several hours) X-band radar system are discussed from theoretical and practical viewpoints. Included are the special-sized waveguide and flanges, hybrid power combiner, couplers, switches, polarizer, rotary joints, feedhorn, and radome. The system is installed on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration/Jet Propulsion Laboratory 64-m-diam reflector antenna at Goldstone, CA.
Hartop, R.↗
The goldstone energy project
The Golstone Energy Project was established in 1974 to investigate ways in which the Goldstone Deep Space Complex in California could be made partly or completely energy-sufficient, especially through the use of solar- and wind-derived energy resources. Ways in which energy could be conserved at the Complex were also studied. Findings included data on both wind and solar energy. Obstacles to demonstrating energy self-sufficiency are: (1) operation and maintenance costs of solar energy systems are estimated to be much higher than conventional energy systems, (2) initial capital costs of present-day technology solar collectors are high and are compounded by low collector efficiency, and (3) no significant market force exists to create the necessary industry to reduce costs through mass production and broad open-market competition.
Bartos, K. P.↗
Electrical load management at the Goldstone DSN Complex
A Power Load Management Plan was deveoped which utilizes the unique power generating capabilities of the stations to reduce the stress on the local utility's reserve capacity and reduce the cost of electrical power at the stations. The plan has greatly reduced the cost of Goldstone electrical power by completely eliminating the use of commercial power during the local utility's high usage periods each day.
Rayburn, J. C.↗
Goldstone (GDSCC) administrative computing
The GDSCC Data Processing Unit provides various administrative computing services for Goldstone. Those activities, including finance, manpower and station utilization, deep-space station scheduling and engineering change order (ECO) control are discussed.
Martin, H.↗
Goldstone field test activities: Target search
In March of this year prototype SETI equipment was installed at DSS13, the 26 meter research and development antenna at NASA's Goldstone complex of satellite tracking dishes. The SETI equipment will remain at this site at least through the end of the summer so that the hardware and software developed for signal detection and recognition can be fully tested in a dynamic observatory environment. The field tests are expected to help understand which strategies for observing and which signal recognition algorithms perform best in the presence of strong man-made interfering signals (RFI) and natural astronomical sources.
Tarter, J.↗
Goldstone field test activities: Sky survey
The goals are to conduct a research and development program aimed at determining the most effective way to do SETI within the constraints of current technology and estimated budgets. The general search strategy adopted is that which is recommended by the SETI Science Working Group. The strategy for an all sky survey for SETI was further developed over the last year. Scan patterns, scan rates, and signal detection algorithms were developed. Spectral power measurement instrumentation was tested at the Venus Station of the Goldstone Deep Space Communication Complex. A specially designed radio frequency interference (RFI) measurement system was built and installed at the Venus Station. A data base management system for storage and retrieval of the RFI data was partially implemented on a VAX 750 computer at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Gulkis, S.↗
Objectives and first results of the NASA SETI sky survey field tests at Goldstone
Field tests of SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) prototype hardware and software began in March 1985 at Goldstone. With emphasis on the sky survey component of the NASA SETI search strategy, the article describes the survey characteristics, the detection strategy, and preliminary results of system tests.
Gulkis, S.↗
Goldstone solar system radar
Information is provided about physical nature planetary surfaces and their topography as well as dynamical properties such as orbits and spin states using ground based radar as a remote sensing tool. Accessible targets are the terrestrial planets: the Earth's Moon, Mercury, Venus and Mars, the outer planets rings and major moons, and many transient objects such as asteroids and comets. Data acquisition utilizes the unique facilities of the Goldstone Deep Space Network, occasionally the Arecibo radar, and proposed use of the VLA (very large array).
Jurgens, R. F.↗
State transition storyboards: A tool for designing the Goldstone solar system radar data acquisition system user interface software
Effective user interface design in software systems is a complex task that takes place without adequate modeling tools. By combining state transition diagrams and the storyboard technique of filmmakers, State Transition Storyboards were developed to provide a detailed modeling technique for the Goldstone Solar System Radar Data Acquisition System human-machine interface. Illustrations are included with a description of the modeling technique.
Howard, S. D.↗
Radio frequency interference survey over the 1.0-10.4 GHz frequency range at the Goldstone-Venus Development Station
The results of a low sensitivity Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) survey carried out at the Venus Station of the Goldstone Communications Complex are reported. The data cover the spectral range from 1 GHz to 10.4 GHz with a 10-kHz instantaneous bandwidth. Frequency and power levels were observed using a sweep-frequency spectrum analyzer connected to a 1-m diameter antenna pointed at zenith. The survey was conducted from February 16, 1987 through February 24, 1987.
Gulkis, S.↗
Goldstone radar observations of Mercury
Radar observations of Mercury were made during the past two decades at the Goldstone radar facility. Correlations of these observations with geologic maps are presented in this chapter. Topographic profiles indicate that Mercurian craters are rather shallow. Some topographic features are seen on the side of Mercury not imaged by Mariner 10. There are global correlations between topography and radar roughness. Mercury's surface may be rougher on a 1-cm scale than on a 10-cm scale, in comparison with the moon.
Clark, P. E.↗
Radar RFI at Goldstone DSS 12 and DSS 16
Radio frequency interference (RFI) from the DSS 14 Goldstone Solar System Radar (GSSR) was investigated at DSS 12 and DSS 16 with the goal of assisting in the choice of the location of future DSN antennas. Total power measurements at both locations were made at the S-band carrier frequency of 2320 MHz. X-band measurements at the carrier frequency of 8495 MHz could not be made. Exciter-chain output spectrum and klystron output spectrum measurements were made at S- and X-bands using a probable worst-case modulation of the radar signal (short pseudorandom number (PN) code length and short pulse length). Based on these measurements, it is estimated that RFI levels in the DSN receiving bands at both sites (above 10-deg elevation) would be below -192 dBm for a 1-Hz bandwidth
Slobin, S. D.↗
Radar characteristics of the equatorial plains of Venus from Goldstone observations - Implications for interpretation of Magellan data
Based on analyses of recent high resolution observations of the approximately 1000 km diameter Heng-O ring structure by the Goldstone Solar System Radar, it is predicted that the structure is a large corona. Calibrated values of radar backscatter coefficient indicate lateral variations of a factor of 4 in Fresnel reflectivity in the vicinity of Heng-O, as well as in other areas of the plains, at scales of tens of km. It is predicted that areas with very low reflectivity values, which occur in a variety of geological settings, are soil-dominated, with bulk densities as low as 1.5 g/cu cm.
Plaut, Jeffrey J.↗