A novel waveguide antenna system for the Mars pathfinder spacecraft/lander

The Mars Pathfinder spacecraft/lander is a small, low cost Mars probe utilizing a unique series of medium and low gain antennas for communications with Earth during the cruise, entry, descent, and landing phases of its mission. As a result of concurrent mission/spacecraft design, the resulting antenna subsystem is highly integrated into the spacecraft/lander architecture. With the objectives of high reliability, high performance, low mass and low cost, this antenna subsystem enables the spacecraft to transition through four configuration changes en route to its landing site using only one switch and no pyrotechnic events while maintaining constant telemetry. Continuous telemetry, an important mission goal, provides all possible engineering data, including failures, for use as proof of spacecraft design. This telemetry will be used as the building blocks for future low cost missions.