NASA activates new 34-meter antenna at Goldstone

NASA has officially commenced operations at Deep Space Station 23 (DSS-23) at the Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex near Barstow, California. The facility features a new 34-meter (114-foot) multifrequency beam-waveguide antenna designed to enhance the agency’s deep space communications and navigation capabilities.

As part of the Aperture Enhancement Project initiated in 2009, this addition is one of six new antennas intended to modernize the Deep Space Network (DSN). The network supports over 40 spacecraft exploring the solar system and interstellar space. Following a testing period from May to July, the antenna began active operations on August 3, initially tracking the Chandra X-ray Observatory.

Managed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the new antenna is already communicating with various missions, including the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, Psyche, Juno, and Voyager 1. The upgrade is intended to provide the robust communication foundation necessary for future lunar exploration and deep solar system missions.