Antennas for the array-based deep space network: current status and future designs

Development of very large arrays of small antennas has been proposed as a way to increase the downlink capability of the NASA deep space network (DSN) by two or three orders of magnitude thereby enabling greatly increased science data from currently configured missions or enabling new mission concepts. The current concept is for an array of 400 times 12-m antennas at each of three longitudes. The DSN array will utilize radio astronomy sources for phase calibration and will have wide bandwidth correlation processing for this purpose. NASA has undertaken a technology program to prove the performance and cost of a very large DSN array. Central to that program is a 3-element interferometer to be completed in 2005. This paper describes current status of the low cost 6-meter breadboard antenna to be used as part of the interferometer and the RF design of the 12-meter antenna