Goldstone – The “Mars” 64m antenna, DSS14
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The 64m Mars antenna, DSS14. NASA photo, preserved by Don Cocks, scan by Colin Mackellar. |
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The (then) 64 metre Mars Station DSS-14. The text on the sign (click the image for a large version) says that the antenna was due for initial operation in January 1966. Tom Sheehan took this photo of the sign, with the now operational antenna in the distance, during a visit probably in 1968. |
The Mars antenna was built for JPL’s
Deep Space missions, however, for key Apollo missions, it was integrated into the “wing”
Apollo station, and its data was demodulated at the 85
foot MSFN station.
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The 64m Mars antenna. Photo: Tom Sheehan. |
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Tom Sheehan stands on the feed cone of DSS-14 giving an idea of the size of the antenna. |
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The 64m Mars antenna, DSS-14, with Australian visitors. From left: 1. unidentified, 2. unidentified, 3. Alan Sinclair (Aust. Dept. of Supply), 4. Dick Fahnestock (Canberra JPL Rep), 5. Tom Potter (JPL Station Director), 6. Bob Leslie (first Tidbinbilla Station Director). Bill Wood writes, “The picture was not taken before 1969 and probably is later than 1969. It shows the DSS-14 to Apollo microwave dish as well as an early tri-cone in place of the S-band low noise cone used for Apollo.” Photo preserved and scanned by Michelle Sinclair. |
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The 64m Mars antenna, DSS-14, in 1969. Photo: Bill Wood. |
See also The Goldstone DSN Booklet – html version by Bill Wood.