NASA commissions new 34-meter dish at Goldstone to boost deep-space links
NASA has activated a new 34-meter radio antenna at the Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex, expanding its Deep Space Network capabilities.
NASA’s Deep Space Network welcomed its latest addition, a 34-meter multifrequency beam-waveguide antenna designated DSS-23, at the Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex near Barstow, California. Following a comprehensive test campaign from May through July, the antenna began operations on Aug. 3, first tracking the Chandra X-ray Observatory and subsequently linking with missions including Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, Psyche, Juno, and Voyager 1.
Officials said the new dish enhances the network’s versatility across radio frequencies and supports NASA’s goals for lunar exploration and deeper solar-system probes. The antenna is the fifth 34-meter unit at Goldstone and part of a six-antenna upgrade that will culminate with a sixth dish in Canberra by 2029, providing redundancy for aging 70-meter dishes. The project underscores the agency’s commitment to modernizing space communications infrastructure for current and future missions.
Why it matters
The new antenna improves NASA’s ability to communicate with and navigate spacecraft across the solar system.
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