Calibration and performance measurements for the nasa deep space network aperture enhancement project (daep)

• Published in: Acta astronautica Vol. 147; pp. 37 - 47
• Main Authors: LaBelle, Remi C., Rochblatt, David J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elmsford Elsevier Ltd 01.06.2018; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Antenna calibration; Antenna holography; Antennas; Beam waveguide antenna; Calibration; Commissioning; Component reliability; Deep space communication equipment; Deep Space Network; Electronics; Holography; Maintainability; Measurement techniques; New technology; Noise temperature; Obsolescence; Phase stability; Photogrammetry; Radiometry; Space missions; Spacecraft; Spacecraft stability; Telecommunications systems; Telemetry tracking and command system; Canberra Australian Capital Territory Australia; Antenna calibration; Telemetry tracking and command system; Deep space communication equipment; Antenna holography; Beam waveguide antenna
• ISSN: 0094-5765; 1879-2030
• DOI: 10.1016/j.actaastro.2018.03.011

The NASA Deep Space Network (DSN) has recently constructed two new 34-m antennas at the Canberra Deep Space Communications Complex (CDSCC). These new antennas are part of the larger DAEP project to add six new 34-m antennas to the DSN, including two in Madrid, three in Canberra and one in Goldstone (California). The DAEP project included development and implementation of several new technologies for the X, and Ka (32 GHz) -band uplink and downlink electronics. The electronics upgrades were driven by several different considerations, including parts obsolescence, cost reduction, improved reliability and maintainability, and capability to meet future performance requirements. The new antennas are required to support TT&C links for all of the NASA deep-space spacecraft, as well as for several international partners. Some of these missions, such as Voyager 1 and 2, have very limited link budgets, which results in demanding requirements for system G/T performance. These antennas are also required to support radio science missions with several spacecraft, which dictate some demanding requirements for spectral purity, amplitude stability and phase stability for both the uplink and downlink electronics. After completion of these upgrades, a comprehensive campaign of tests and measurements took place to characterize the electronics and calibrate the antennas. Radiometric measurement techniques were applied to characterize, calibrate, and optimize the performance of the antenna parameters. These included optical and RF high-resolution holographic and total power radiometry techniques. The methodology and techniques utilized for the measurement and calibration of the antennas is described in this paper. Lessons learned (not all discussed in this paper) from the commissioning of the first antenna (DSS-35) were applied to the commissioning of the second antenna (DSS-36). These resulted in achieving antenna aperture efficiency of 66% (for DSS-36), at Ka-Band (32-Ghz), which is currently the highest operating frequency for these antennas. The other measurements and results described include antenna noise temperature, photogrammetry and holography alignment of antenna panels, beam-waveguide mirrors, and subreflector, antenna aperture efficiencies and G/T versus frequency, and antenna pointing models. The first antenna (DSS-35) entered into operations in October 2014 and the 2nd antenna (DSS-36) in October 2016. This paper describes the measurement techniques and results of the testing and calibration for both antennas, along with the driving requirements. •The NASA Deep Space Network has completed calibration and testing of 2 new antennas.•The calibration used a combined holography and photogrammetry approach.•With the new approach, the new antennas have the highest efficiency in the DSN (66%).•The new antennas also have the highest G/T for a 34-m antenna in the DSN.•The new antennas enable continued tracking of the most distant spacecraft, Voyager 1 and 2.