Professional Documents
Culture Documents
I
t
I
. 8
PARTICIPANTS
D r . Harry Goett, D i r e c t o r
Goddard Space F l i g h t Center
1
GUESTS OF HONOR
H, E. Dr. R o b e r t o T, A l e m a n n T h e Argentine R e p u b l i c
H. E, The H o n , S i r H o w a r d B e a l e ,
K,B,E,, QeC. A u s t r a1i a
H, E, R o b e r t o de O l i v e i r a Campos T h e U n i t e d S t a t e s of B r a z i l
H. E. C h a r l e s S, A. R i t c h i e Canada
H, E, Walter M u l l e r The R e p u b l i c of C h i l e
H, E, D r , N e f t a l i Ponce-Miranda The R e p u b l i c of E c u a d o r
H. E, B r a ] K u m a r N e h r u India
H, E, H o s s e i n G h o d s - M a k h a i Iran
H, E, D r , J. H e r m a n van R o i j e n The N e t h e r l a n d s
H, E. J u l i u s M. U d o c h i T h e Federation of N i g e r i a
The R e p u b l i c of South A f r i c a
PI-:...
apCl-L11
2
PROGRAM
F I F T H ANNIVERSARY
D r . H a r r y Goett, D i r e c t o r
Goddard Space F l i g h t C e n t e r
M r . James E. W e b b , A d m i n i s t r a t o r
N a t i o n a l A e r o n a u t i c s and Space A d m i n i s t r a t i o n
T h e H o n o r a b l e D e a n Rusk
Secretary of S t a t e
C o m m a n d e r Walter M. S c h i r r a , J r .
Astronaut
J a n u a r y 31, 1963
U. S . SPACE - TkRCF2L:;
G
FIFTH ANNIVERSARY
M i n i t r a c k s t a t i o n s l o c a t e d p r i m a r i l y i n t h e Western Hemisphere.
s a t e l l i t e s and s p a c e probes ,
t i o n s t o t h e p a t t e r n o f open c o o p e r a t i o n and t h e s p r e a d of i n -
f a c i l i t i e s i n 19 d i f f e r e n t p o l i t i c a l a r e a s . About two-thirGs
of them a l r e a d y o p e r a t e w i t h t h e a s s i s t a n c e of f o r e i g n n a t i o n -
is l a r g e l y b o r n e by t h e c o o p e r a t i n g n a t i o n s , Each network i s
s p e c i f i c a l l y designed t o f u l f i l l t h e requirements p a r t i c u l a r ,
I
t o each of t h e major programs. ,
I
1, T h e M i n i t r a c k network, e s t a b l i s h e d d u r i n g t h e I n t e r -
- - ~ - : - -~
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J I a L A U i ~ aU~F v y r L y G ? & b n A
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4
S t a t i o n s i n seven p o l i t i c a l a r e a s ,
2. The D e e p Space I n s t r u m e n t a t i o n F a c i l i t i e s ( D S I F ) are
which can m a i n t a i n c o n t a c t w i t h s p a c e c r a f t t r a v e l i n g t o t h e
.-I
w i t h t h e c a p s u l e , f r o m launch u n t i l l a n d i n g , i n o r d e r t o assure
m i n a t i o n of e x a c t d i s t a n c e s on e a r t h , There a r e Baker-Nunn
La)
i n s t a l l a t i o n s i n nine c o u n t r i e s abroad.
5
TRACKING AND DATA A C Q U I S I T I O K AND REDUCTIG~
A s p a c e c r a f t with t h e f i n e s t s c i e n t i f i c instruments,
t r a c k e d t o determine w h e r e it i s , and i t s s c i e n t i f i c i n f o r -
f i g u r e s i n o r d e r t h a t t h e s c i e n t i s t cm a n a l y z e t h e r e s u l t s
o f h i s space-borne experiments
C a l i f o r n i a , o p e r a t e s Deep Space I n s t r u m e n t a t i o n F a c i l i t i e s
f o r t h e t r a c k i n g and d a t a a c q u i s i t i o n of l u n a r and p l a n e t a r y
t o r y o p e r a t e s 1 2 o p t i c a l t r a c k i n g s t a t i o n s each equipped w i t h
a Baker-Nunn t e l e s c o p i c camera,
. T h i r t e e n M i n i t r a c k stations w h i c h serve a s "eyes and
i n the future,
Improved ground f a c i l i t i e s t o h a n d l e t h e n e w g e n e r a t i o n o f
planning stage.
E x i s t i n g equipment f o r the b i g o b s e r v a t o r i e s c o n s i s t s of
7
each w i t h a "real-time" channel, make c o n s t a n t € l i g h t c o n t i n -
of a m i l e i n l e n g t h e v e r y second,
a t commercial s w i t c h i n g s t a t i o n s i n b o t h t h e E a s t e r n and W e s t -
ern hemispheres.
w i t h t h e manned s p a c e c r a f t ,
r o u t e m i l e s of communications f a c i l i t i e s t o a s s u r e an i n t e -
g r a t e d network w i t h world-wide c a p a b i l i t y f o r h a n d l i n g s a t e l -
cuits,
8
ing the spacecraft; long range radars for automatic t r a c k i n g ;
communications.
chosen t o i n s u r e t h a t a t l e a s t one s t a t i o n w i l l be w i t h i n l i n e
of t h e i n c l i n a t i o n o r t h e o r b i t a l a l t i t u d e . Each s t a t i o n gen-
long p e r i o d s of t h e . T h i s t r a c k i n g system o p e r a t e s i n t h e
punched, i n d i q i t a l form, s u i t a b l e f o r t e l e t y p e t r a n s m i s s i o n ,
on p a p e r t a p e along w i t h t i m e and o t h e r a p p r o p r i a t e i n f o m a -
C e n t e r f o r computation of t h e s a t e l l i t e ' s p o s i t i o n .
is a l s o t r a n s m i t t e d t o t h e ground s t a t i o n s i n t h e 136 t o 1 3 7
10
Generally, t h e t e l e m e t r y i s recorded on magnetic t a p e ,
d i c t i o n information f o r s p a c e c r a f t a c q u i s i t i o n .
f o r t r a c k i n g and d a t a a c q u i s i t i o n i n s u p p o r t of t h e NASA l u n a r
Laboratory, Pasadena, C a l i f o r n i a ,
t r e m e l y l o w background n o i s e l e v e l s . Due t o t h e s e n s i t i v i t y
of t h e r e c e i v i n g equipment used, man-made i n t e r f e r e n c e from
commercial r a d i o and t e l e v i s i o n t r a n s m i s s i o n s m u s t b e k e p t a t
a minimum,
Goldstone complex:
t r a t i v e and e n g i n e e r i n g o f f i c e s a r e l o c a t e d h e r e ,
mentary antenna i n a s p a c e c r a f t t r a c k i n g m i s s i o n ,
t r o l b u i l d i n g s e r v i c e s both antennas d u r i n g a t e s t ,
t e l e s c o p e s u s e d t o f i n d and t r a c k r a d i o s t a r s . A r a d i o tele-
scope c a p t u r e s m o s t s t r o n g l y t h o s e s i g n a l s which c o m e f r o m a
p o i n t d i r e c t l y i n f r o n t of it. Thus, by c o n t i n u o u s l y p o i n t -
i n g t h e t e l e s c o p e i n t h e d i r e c t i o n of t h e s t r o n g e s t s i g n a l , a
t r a n s m i t t e r i d e n t i c a l to t h a t of t h e Zoidstone Echo S t a t i o f i .
13
to t r a c k , record telemetry, m.d a b t a i n Doppler d a t a , The
t o o b t a i n Doppler information,
coverage o v e r l a p s so as t o p r o v i d e continuous c o n t a c t w i t h
o n t o t h e s p a c e c r a f t , t r a c k s it u n t i l t h e r o t a t i o n of t h e
t h e n p a s s e s the s p a c e c r a f t on t o t h e n e x t s t a t i o n ,
two g e n e r a l c a t e g o r i e s : g r o u n d - t r a n s m i t t e r f r e q u e n c i e s and
spacecraft ,
t h e 2290-2300 MCS r e c e i v e r ,
14
k
To p r o v i d e f o r t h e command c o n t r o l of the LCuiictiGAii5 of a
municate a c r o s s m i l l i o n s of m i l e s of s p a c e t o t h e i r extremely
p u r p o s e of t r a c k i n g t h e r e c e i v e d R F c a r r i e r i n phase, and f o r
Doppler d a t a a r e d e r i v e d f r o m t h e l o c a l o s c i l l a t o r , t e l e m e t r y
a n g l e - e r r o r d e t e c t i o n channels. C u r r e n t l y p a r a m e t r i c pream-
over-all r e c e i v i n g system s e n s i t i v i t i e s .
..
Many of t h e s a t e l l i t e s t o be launched by t h e N a t i o n a l
A e r o n a u t i c s and Space A d m i n i s t r a t i o n i n t h e f u t u r e w i l l u s e
v e r y w i d e bandwidths f o r t r a n s m i s s i o n of d a t a from t h e s a t -
e l l i t e t o t h e ground s t a t i o n s .
S i n c e t h e r e c e i v e r and s k y n o i s e i n t h e t e l e m e t r y l i n k
a v e r y h i g h t r a n s m i t t e r power o r a v e r y h i g h antenna g a i n ,
or b o t h , m u s t be used f o r wideband t e l e m e t r y l i n k i n o r d e r
s t a t i o n s f o r r e c e i v i n g t h e wideband t e l e m e t r y s i g n a l s . These
s a t e l l i t e s w i l l u s e s e v e r a l of t h e frequency bands a s s i g n e d
c a p a b i l i t y of o p e r a t i n g s i m u l t a n e o u s l y a t s e v e r a l f r e q u e n c i e s .
85 feet i n diameter,
16
. t i o n f a c i l i t y f o r w i d e bandwidth r e c e p t i o n w i l l be Project
Kimbus, which w i l l b~ t aj-inrj t e l e v i s i o n p i c t u r e s of t h e earth's
a c q u i s i t i o n h a s b e e n c o n s t r u c t e d a t G i l m o r e Creek, 12 miles
f o r o p e r a t i o n of t h e s t a t i o n . T h i s s t a t i o n w i l l be able t o pro-
J u l y 1962. T h i s s t a t i o n w i l l p i c k up an a d d i t i o n a l 2 0 p e r c e n t
of t h e p a s s e s of a p o l a r s a t e l l i t e . Thus, t h e s e t w o s t a t i o n s
o r b i t s of a s a t e l l i t e w i t h a v e r y h i g h i n c l i n a t i o n ,
d i a m e t e r p a r a b a l o i d w i t h a f o c a l l e n g t h of 36 f e e t , The s u r -
type mount d e s i g n e d s p e c i f i c a l l y f o r t r a c k i n g s a t e l l i t e s ,
. 17
a p e r a t i o n a l modes; w i l l act_r\m=tir&1y lock-on a s a t e l l i t e
s i g n a l , or be d r i v e n by a t e l e t y p e d r i v e - t a p e input.
It may
be manually o p e r a t e d , slaved t o an a c q u i s i t i o n antenna, o r
Whenever a human l i f e i s t o be s u b j e c t e d t o a c a l c u l a t e d
taken t o a s s u r e s a f e t y . I n t h e c a s e of manned s p a c e f l i g h t s ,
s i o n must be s u p p l i e d w i t h e x a c t i n f o r m a t i o n concerning t h e
w h e t h e r a s a t i s f a c t o r y o r b i t is possible. T o do t h i s , high-
18
a t t h e Manned Space F l i g h t Z x t r c l C e r ? t e r - T h e raCISrs at t h e
l i z e d and t h e f a s t - o p e r a t i n g , e l e c t r o n i c a l l y d r i v e n p l o t boards
X @ t only is t h e a c t u a l p o s i t i o n p l o t t e d , b u t t h e p r e d i c c c d
displayed. The p o i n t cf c a p s u l e l a n d i n g on t h e e z r t h is
properly o r t h e m i s s i o n is t e r m i n a t e d b e f o r e o r b i t a l i r i s e r -
kt t h e same time, t h e C o n t r o l C e n t e r F l i g h t C o n t r o l l e r s
t h e c a p s u l e impact p o i n t reachas i i f r i c a , t h e r e t r o - r o c k e t s
19
e s t h l i s h e s the precis2 zr'Si?;d t r z c t , p-,e=.r $st? rnrnjy in
this t i m e , t h e c o m p u t e r a u t o m a t i c a l l y sends o u t a c q u i s i t i o n
t e l l i n g t h e s i t e c r e w exactly where t o p o i n t t h e i r t r a c k i n g
sule.
n a u t ' s s afe t y .
20
FABRICATION OF THE NGTWORK
f u l l e s t e x t e n t p o s s i b l e i n its f a b r i c a t i o n r a t h e r t h a n making
I n c e r t a i n c a s e s , e x i s t i n c j f a c i l i t i e s c o u l d n o t f i l l a21 t h e
a d d i t i o n , t h e b u i l t - i n v e r s a t i l i t y of t h e working equipment
21
A l i s t of t h e 17 s i t e s involved, t o g e t h e r w i t h t h e i r abbrevia-
tad i d e d e s i g n a t i o n s i s L----=-
J L L A , Szlcw :
XWIE CODE
Xuchea, A u s t r a l i a
...................................
C o a s t a l S e n t r y Ship CSQ
...................................... MUC
C a n t o n Island
.................................... WCTNW
rdoomera, A u s t r a l i a
.........................................
Kauai, Hawaii ......................................... HAW
Point Arguello, California
Guaymas, Mexico
............................ CAL
....................................... GYM
Khite Sands, New Mexico
Corpus C h r i s t i , Texas
............................... WHS
................................. TEX
Egfin, F l o r i d a ........................................ EGL
Adelaide, A u s t r a l i a
Honolulu, H a w a i i
...................................
....................................... ADE
HOX
London, England ....................................... .LDN
r a d i o , c o n n e c t i n g a wide v a r i e t y of r a d i o , t e l e t y p e and v o i c e
t i o n a l c i r c u i t s a r e provided d u r i n g m i s s i o n p e r i o d s t o guard
22
u s e s o n l y t w o back-up c i r c u i t s . T h e one t o Bermuda p r o v i d e s
lowing r o u t e s :
T r a n s r a d i o Espanola r a d i o t o London E x t e r n a l
Telecommunications Executive t e r m i n a l , t h e n c e
by t r a n s a t l a n t i c cable, a j o i n t American T e l e -
General f a c i l i t y t o t h e Radio C o r p o r a t i o n of
L i n e s t e r m i n a l a t 32 Avenue of t h e Americas i n
t e r m i n a t i n g a t Goddard.
. 23
2. Part-Tk,e R o u t e - 5218 m i l e s
A second r o u t e using s e p a r a t e c i r c u i t s on t h e
is c a l l e d up d u r i n g mission p e r i o d s t o h a n d l e t h e
a d d i t i o n a l t r a f f i c c r e a t e d b y t h e mission.
1. C o n t r o l t h e o p e r a t i o n of a l l t r a c k i n g , command, a n d
d a t a a c q u i s i t i o n , and f a c i l i t i e s u t i l i z e d i n s u p p o r t of s c i e n -
t i f i c space v e h i c l e s .
2. C o o r d i n a t e t h e o p e r a t i o n of o t h e r ground instrumenta-
t i o n f a c i l i t i e s u t i l i z e d i n s u p p o r t o f s c i e n t i f i c space vehicles,
w i t h the e x c e p t i o n of c e r t a i n launch s i t e i n s t a l l a t i o n s .
3. Ensure t h a t operational a c t i v i t i e s r e q u i r e d i n s u p p o r t
24
of any s c i e n t i f i c s p a c e c r a f t a r e p r o p e r l y executed rrworeing
i n a b i l i t y t o f u l f i l l t h e o p e r a t i o n s p l a n requirements, t h e
c o n t r o l c e n t e r i s r e s p o n s i b l e f o r recommending s u i t a b l e a l t e r -
c e r t a i n t h a t h i s d e c i s i o n i s p r o p e r l y implemented.
operation.
6. Schedule network a c t i v i t i e s t o e n s u r e t h a t t h e r e q u i r e -
a s possible.
i d l y o b t a i n i n f o r m a t i o n on t h e s t a t u s of any s a t e l l i t e d u r i n g
its useful l i f e t i m e .
i n t h e performance o f t h e i r f u n c t i o n s :
performing h n c t i o n s e s s e n t i a l t o a given o p e r a t i o n .
I ? a d d i t i o n t o t h e r o u t i n e , in-house r o u t i n g system f o r
o p e r a L i m a 1 importance.
essentials of mission i n t e g r i t y .
T n c f i r s t of t h e s e p r e s e n t s a c u r r e n t Tracking N e t w o r k
d a t a p e r t i n e n t t o success probability.
p u t i n g s o u r c e , c o n v e r t s i t i n t o meaningful language t h a t i t s
p l o t t i n g d e v i c e w i l l understand, and p r o j e c t s a p l o t p i c t u r e
craft v e l o c i t y .
F l i 5 h t C e n t e r i n c l u d e s 48 f u l l - p e r i o d , l e a s e d teletype i i R e s
26
and Deep Space Networks, other data acquisition and cormnand
ices are available, These circuits are used to carry all types
of telemetry data,
27
h ~ pxst-ided
e for coordinatioz 3r.d m c n i t c r r piirpnses, m y lines
28
GODDARD COMMUNICP.TIONS CENTER FUNCTIONS
below,
communications C e n t e r .
2. Any s i t e can b r o a d c a s t t o a l l s i t e s .
C e n t e r Computers.
F l i g h t C e n t e r Computers t o any s i t e ,
C e n t e r Communications C e n t e r t o a l l s i t e s simultane-
ously.
s w i t c h i n g o r d i r e c t i n g i s done a u t o m a t i c a l l y by having t h e
29
incoming message address. ~ h u sa ~ ~ e s s s jEer c x t5e xanc 3 i t ~
s a g e t o a l l s i t e s , a d i r e c t i n g code f o r b r o a d c a s t messages
c e r t a i n s e l e c t e d s i t e s , n o t on a b r o a d c a s t basis, the p r o p e r
network t r a f f i c ?or p o s t - f l i g h t a n a l y s i s by r e t a i n i n g
p r a c t i c e s can be d e t e c t e d and c o r r e c t e d .
With respect to the switching of voice messages, a master
of this publication.
Center.
The Switching Cocferencinp m A Monitoring Arrangement
U. S, and f o r e i g n common c a r r i e r s .
During m i s s i o n p e r i o d s t h e v o i c e c i r c u i t s a r e connected
lowing f u n c t i o n s t o be performed:
s t a n c e s w h i c h may occur,
2. V o i c e d i r e c t i v e s from t h e C o n t r o l C e n t e r can b e
i n capsule r e t r o f i r e s e t t i n g s a r e required f o r
e x p e d i t e d r e - e n t r y of t h e v e h i c l e .
3. A l l s i t e s having v o i c e c-abilities may be f u l l y
UP *
4. The c o n v e r s a t i o x b e t w e e n t h e a s t r o n a u t and t h e
network .
5. Where an a r e a of o v e r l a p occurs b e t w e e n s i t e s i n
r a d a r o r command t r a n s m i t t e r coverage, t h e v o i c e
c i r c u i t s may be used t o e s t a b l i s h t h e e x a c t t i m e
n e x t s i t e s t a r t s in o r d e r t o avoid any p o s s i b l e
command s i g n a l s .
d i r e c t i o n of t r a n s m i s s i o n , This type of c i r c u i t is n e c e s s a r y
t h e SCAMA o p e r a t o r a t t h e r e q u e s t of t h e Operations D i r e c t o r
33
s i t e s can monitor a l l communications on t h e v o i c e network, the
SCAMA o p e r a t o r c o n t r o l s t h e t a l k i n g access c a p a b i l i t i e s so
t h a t o n l y t h e s i t e designed b y t h e C o n t r o l C e n t e r can t a l k i n -
given, i n s u c c e s s i o n , t o t h e s i t e w h i c h h a s the c a p s u l e i n
c o n t a c t w i t h t h e c a p s u l e can t a l k d i r e c t l y t o t h e F l i g h t Con-
t r o l l e r s a t t h e C o n t r o l Center and, if t r a n s m i s s i o n c o n d i t i o n s
t h e whole v o i c e network.
r a d a r beacon i n t e r r o g a t i o n s a r e s e n t s i m u l t a n e o u s l y i n t h e s e
overlap a r e a s , t h e c a p s u l e i n s t r u m e n t a t i o n could be s e r i o u s l y
n a t i o n of c o m a n d and r a d a r beacon t r i g g e r i n g t r a n s m i s s i o n s
s i o n a t t h e next s i t e s t a r t s . To a r r a n g e f o r t h i s c a p a b i l i t y ,
34
REAL TIMI?, COMPUTING SYSTEM FOR MANNED SPACE FLXGHT
e s s a r y t o b u i l d a ground i n s t r u m e n t a t i o n system t o p r o v i d e a l l
i s a r e a l t i m e computing s y s t e m t o provide r e a l t i m e c o n t r o l
t i n g and d i s p l a y i n g t h e computed o u t p u t q u a n t i t i e s , , w i t h o u t
human i n t e r v e n t i o n ,
i n g used t o a u t o m a t i c a l l y t r a c k t h e c a p s u l e , t h e AN/FPS-16 C
35
t i o n possible. T h e computers l o c a t e d a t t h e Goddard Computing
i s a u t o m a t i c a l l y s t a c k e d up i n computer core s t o r a g e by t h e
c a l l y w h i l e simultaneously proceeding w i t h t h e r e a l t i m e c o m -
puting,
p u t i n g system are a t t h e a c c e p t a b l e l e v e l of
r e a d i n e s s f c r t h e mission.
2, Launch - extends f r o m l i f t o f f u n t i l t h e f l i g h t
t h e launch phase.
or retrofire,
nel, It extends t o r e t r o f i r e .
MONITOR SYSTEM
kime i n t e r v a l s .
SIMULATION
37
ulated, A l l n e c e s s a q data a r e stored on magnetic tape and
i s t r a t i v e s t a f f i n Cambridge, Massachusetts,
of 2 seconds of arc.
camera so t h a t i t w i l l follow t h e s a t e l l i t e a t t h e c o r r e c t
camera,
' 39
graph more t h a n 2000 s a t e l l i t e passages each month, an o u t p u t
t h a t i s t h e r e s u l t of c o n s t a n t improvement i n s t a t i o n e f f i -
By p r o j e c t i n g t h e f i l m on s t a r c h a r t s , t h e o b s e r v e r makes
second of t i m e ; t h i s is s u f f i c i e n t f o r g e n e r a t i n g r o u t i n e pre-
a i r m a i l e d t o t h e Photoreduction D i v i s i o n i n Cambridge.
w a s o r i g i n a l l y conceived, t h e p r e s e n t o u t p u t of t h e Baker-
Nunn s t a t i o n s r e f l e c t s t h e o b s e r v a t i o n a l requirements of t h e
s a t e l l i t e t r a c k i n g program, r a t h e r t h a n t h e a c t u a l c a p a c i t y
o t h e r i n v e s t i g a t i o i l s , s-a& 5 s L*--l.r' --
L l L I l W A4r r r y - +c
i3 - *u
*Au; - n
~c,
bu - -- -re
mnnnmyai-i
-vvy--
40
,
reported by K. Kordylewski.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
41
For Project Mercury, Goddard d e s i g n e d and o p e r a t e d a g l o -
b a l r i n g of s t a t i o n s which p r o v i d e d v i t a l t r a c k i n g , t e l e m e t r y ,
Space C o n t r o l C e n t e r , It d e t e m i n e d and p r e d i c t e d s a t e l l i t e
Canaveral.
42
A f t e r i n j e c t i o n o f t h e Mercury s p a c e c r a f t i n t o o r b i t , or-
t i o n p a s s e d t o t h e n e x t t r a c k i n g s i t e so t h e s t a t i o n c o u l d ac-
quire t h e s p a c e c r a f t ,
t o t h e N a t i o n a l A e r o n a u t i c s and Space A d m i n i s t r a t i o n .
so a d v i s e d and a s s i s t e d on s p e c i a l t e c h n i c a l problems r e l a t e d
t o t h e network.
The c o n c l u d i n g c o n t r a c t i n v o l v e d e x t e n s i v e n e g o t i a t i o n s
I
w i t h Federal a g e n c i e s , p r i v a t e i n d u s t r y , and r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s
of many f o r e i g n c o u n t r i e s i n t h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t of t r a c k i n g
and ground i n s t r u m e n t a t i o n .
' 43
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Minitrack N e t
duct i o n -
The Minitrack Net, has been used t o t r a c k a l l NASA
41+
began i n 1957 and 1958.
w i t h a d d i t i o n a l antennas aligned s p e c i f i c a l l y f o r p o l a r o r b i t ,
which f u r t h e r increase i t s c a p a b i l i t y ,
45
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
D e e p Space I n s t r u m e n t a t i o n Network
The J e t P r o p u l s i o n Laboratory l o c a t e d i n t h e f o o t h i l l s
t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y of l a u n c h i n g a series of s p a c e c r a f t t o
s t o n e , C a l i f o r n i a , i n a n a t u r a l b o w l i n t h e mountains a b o u t
s u c c e s s f u l l y accomplished t h e i r obj e c t i v e of t r a c k i n g s p a c e
t o r y , o p e r a t e d by t h e C a l i f o r n i a I n s t i t u t e of TeChnOlOgy, was
g i v e n t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y of unmanned e x p l o r a t i o n of deep
46
I '
o b j e c t i v e , J P L has planned and implemented a series of l u n a r
I n order t o c o n t i n u o u s l y t r a c k , r e c e i v e t e l e m e t r y d a t a
a n t e n n a s s i m i l a r t o t h e one a t G o l d s t o n e w e r e i n s t a l l e d a t
thesz stations,
a n t e n n a f o r o p e r a t i o n a l u s e w i t h deep space s p a c e c r a f t h a s
+_rl-lFs S+_..tions ~
Space I n s t r u m e n t a t i o n F a c i l i t y w e r e p a r t i c u l a r l y d e s i g n e d
47
f o r communication w i t h deep s p a c e probes. O p e r a t i o n s i n deep
s p a c e r e q u i r e d p r e c i s i o n a n g u l a r measurements,, v e r y low s y s -
continuous h i g h r e l i a b i l i t y communications w i t h s p a c e c r a f t a t
w i t h n e a r e a r t h s a t e l l i t e s and sounding r o c k e t s .
Astronomy
Vanguard 3
Ionosphere
Enerqetic Particles
Magnetic F i e l d s
C o s m i c Radiation
Solar Radiation
51
ROSMAN DATA ACQUISITION FACILITY
The 85' antenna shown here weighs 300 tons and stands 12
stories high (120') . It will be capable of receiving sat-
ellite signals from 3 different frequencies simultaneously.
When coupled to the electronic data system, the antenna will
lock onto the satellite s i g n a l and follow it across the sky
automatically.
52
TRACKING SELP ROSE KNOT
53
BAKER-"M CAMERA
O p e r a t i o n of t h e camera a t t h e s t a t i o n i n S h i r a z , I r a n , is
e x p l a i n e d t o the Shah of I r a n and p a r t y , 4/26/59. Baker-Nunn
cameras a r e o p e r a t e d by t h e Smithsonian A s t r o p h y s i c a l Observ-
a t o r y under NASA g r a n t t o o p t i c a l l y t r a c k and photograph space-
craft.
54
MINITRACK
55
MERCURY TRACKING STATION, GUAYMAS, MEXICO
57
MINITRACK, WINKFIELD, ENGLAND
Calibration Camera
e
59
MERCURY TRACKING STATION, KANO, NIGERIA
60
DEEP SPACE INSTRUMENTATION F A C I L I T Y ( D S I F )
'ECW-P-q, ALTSTR_AT,IA
61
I '
,
62