NASA has begun work on a new dish, Deep Space Station 33, to support distant spacecraft communications at its Canberra facility in Australia. The new antenna will be the fifth radio antenna for Canberra and will help transmit information between scientists on Earth and spacecraft beyond. The facility is strategically located around the globe to allow seamless communication due to Earth’s rotation.
The new 112-foot-wide multifrequency beam-waveguide antenna has five mirrors that reflect radio signals from space, allowing scientists to interpret the data. This technology will enable improved communication with spacecraft such as Voyager 2, which is approximately 13 billion miles away.
Located at Canberra, this facility can communicate directly with Voyager 2, while Voyager 1 can send information to other facilities but receive commands only from Canberra. The new dish will support current and future spacecraft, helping to reduce the volume of data they provide.
The Deep Space Network Aperture Enhancement Program aims to enhance communication capabilities for NASA’s deep space network, which consists of three strategically placed facilities around the globe. The program has constructed six parabolic dishes under the Aperture Enhancement Program, including the new Canberra dish scheduled to go online in 2029.
Source: https://www.space.com/the-universe/nasas-deep-space-network-is-getting-a-new-dish-to-help-distant-spacecraft-phone-home