Using digital signal processor technology to simplify deep space ranging

Commercially available Digital Signal Processor (DSP) technology has enabled a modified design Deep Space Network (DSN) ranging system. The modified design eliminates custom correlator printed circuit boards in favor of Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) DSPs. This reduces overall size, parts count, and complexity. Embedded DSP software provides the flexibility to handle pseudo-random noise, sequential squarewave, or other periodic ranging tones. The design implementation will also meet the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) requirements for both near-Earth and deep space ranging. JPL´s Network Simplification Project will consolidate the DSN ground systems functions into less hardware and simplify network operations. This effort includes implementing the new spacecraft ranging design described here. This implementation will reduce the amount of ranging hardware (and thus maintenance) while increasing the operational flexibility. The new ranging implementation also provides a new DSN capability to support the new Spacecraft Transponding Modem (STM) being developed at JPL