History of the Deep Space Network

In order to support deep space missions around the clock it was necessary to establish a network of three stations separated by approximately 120 degrees of longitude so that as the Earth turned a spacecraft was always above the horizon of at least one station. To this end two overseas facilities with 26m antennas were established to complement the 26m antenna sites (DSIF 11 and 12) at [[Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex|Goldstone]] in California. (DSIF 13 at Goldstone was used for research and development.) The first overseas site was DSIF 41 at [[Island Lagoon Tracking Station|Island Lagoon]] near [[RAAF Woomera Range Complex|Woomera]] in Australia. It was operated by the Australian Department of Supply which ran the [[Woomera Test Range|Woomera Rocket Range]]. The other, DSIF 51, was at [[Hartebeesthoek]] near Johannesburg in South Africa, operated by the South African Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). These two stations were completed in 1961. Each DSIF station had transmit and receive capability at 960 MHz in the L-band of the radio spectrum, and could process telemetry. Telephone and teletype circuits linked the stations to a mission operations room at JPL. As missions became more numerous the operations room developed into the [[Space Flight Operations Facility]] (which was designated a national historic landmark in 1985), and the personnel and equipment common to all missions were incorporated into the DSIF which was renamed the Deep Space Network in 1963.

In order to support deep space missions around the clock it was necessary to establish a network of three stations separated by approximately 120 degrees of longitude so that as the Earth turned a spacecraft was always above the horizon of at least one station. To this end two overseas facilities with 26m antennas were established to complement the 26m antenna sites (DSIF 11 and 12) at [[Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex|Goldstone]] in California. (DSIF 13 at Goldstone was used for research and development.) The first overseas site was DSIF 41 at [[Island Lagoon Tracking Station|Island Lagoon]] near [[RAAF Woomera Range Complex|Woomera]] in Australia. It was operated by the Australian Department of Supply which ran the [[Woomera Test Range|Woomera Rocket Range]]. The other, DSIF 51, was at [[Hartebeesthoek]] near Johannesburg in South Africa, operated by the South African Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). These two stations were completed in 1961. Each DSIF station had transmit and receive capability at 960 MHz in the L-band of the radio spectrum, and could process telemetry. Telephone and teletype circuits linked the stations to a mission operations room at JPL. As missions became more numerous the operations room developed into the [[Space Flight Operations Facility]] (which was designated a national historic landmark in 1985), and the personnel and equipment common to all missions were incorporated into the DSIF which was renamed the Deep Space Network in 1963.

The DSN was given responsibility for its own research, development, and operation in support of all of its users. Under this concept, it has contributed to the development of low-noise receivers; large parabolic-dish antennas; tracking, telemetry, and command systems; digital signal processing; and deep space navigation. {{Citation needed|reason=Is there a report on their activity that could be used here?|date=April 2026}}

The DSN was given responsibility for its own research, development, and operation in support of all of its users. Under this concept, it has contributed to the development of low-noise receivers; large parabolic-dish antennas; tracking, telemetry, and command systems; digital signal processing; and deep space navigation.{{cite web |url=https://descanso.jpl.nasa.gov/history/DSNTechRefs.html |title=DSN History Technical References List}}

== The Mariner Era 1961 to 1974 ==

== The Mariner Era 1961 to 1974 ==