Deep Space Network in trouble
@ 2023/09/01Too many projects and not enough hardware
The aging Deep Space Network is in trouble according to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory boss Suzanne Dodd.
The network is used to communicate with more than 40 space missions at present, and another 40 will be added in the next ten years.
"We have more missions coming than we currently are flying," Dodd said. "We’re nearly doubling the load on the DSN. Many of those are either lunar exploration or Artemis missions, and many of Artemis precursor missions with commercial vendors. So the load is increasing, and it’s very stressful.”
She said that the network is oversubscribed, yet it’s vital to anything the agency wants to do.
The aging Deep Space Network is in trouble according to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory boss Suzanne Dodd.
The network is used to communicate with more than 40 space missions at present, and another 40 will be added in the next ten years.
"We have more missions coming than we currently are flying," Dodd said. "We’re nearly doubling the load on the DSN. Many of those are either lunar exploration or Artemis missions, and many of Artemis precursor missions with commercial vendors. So the load is increasing, and it’s very stressful.”
She said that the network is oversubscribed, yet it’s vital to anything the agency wants to do.