Telecommunications analysis service for DS1 planning and operations

In the “faster, better, cheaper” era, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) continues to develop smaller and more frequent missions. The Deep Space Network (DSN) must track many spacecraft simultaneously. With ground tracking resources limited and with NASA moving into an era of full cost accounting, the need for an efficient and well-coordinated multi-mission telecommunications analysis service is apparent. This service is now provided as part of Telecommunications and Mission Operations Directorate (TMOD)´s Deep Space Mission System (DSMS). DS1 is the first mission to subscribe to TMOD´s services. This paper describes the DS1 telecommunications link analysis service scenarios, including the DS1 safing incident on July 28, 1999, the day of Asteroid Braille flyby. The theme of this paper is to demonstrate that good people, efficient processes, and effective tools are key elements that enable 1) a wide range of cost-effective telecommunications analysis support, and 2) timely detection and anticipation of unforeseen situations