A valuable reference for students and professionals in the field of deep space navigation Drawing on fundamental principles and practices developed during decades of deep space exploration at the California Institute of Technology’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), this book documents the formation of program Regres of JPL’s Orbit Determination Program (ODP). Program Regres calculates the computed values of observed quantities (e.g., Doppler and range observables) obtained at the tracking stations of the Deep Space Network, and also calculates media corrections for the computed values of the observable and partial derivatives of the computed values of the observables with respect to the solve-for-parameter vector-q. The ODP or any other program which uses its formulation can be used to navigate a spacecraft anywhere in the solar system. A publication of the JPL Deep Space Communications and Navigation System Center of Excellence (DESCANSO), Formulation for Observed and Computed Values of Deep Space Network Data Types for Navigation is an invaluable resource for graduate students of celestial mechanics or astrodynamics because it: features the expertise of today’s top scientists places the entire program Regres formulation in an easy-to-access resource describes technology which will be used in the next generation of navigation software currently under development The Deep Space Communications and Navigation Series is authored by scientists and engineers with extensive experience in astronautics, communications, and related fields. It lays the foundation for innovation in the areas of deep space navigation and communications by conveying state-of-the-art knowledge in key technologies.

A valuable reference for students and professionals in the field of deep space navigation Drawing on fundamental principles and practices developed during decades of deep space exploration at the California Institute of Technology's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), this book documents the formation of program Regres of JPL's Orbit Determination Program (ODP). Program Regres calculates the computed values of observed quantities (e.g., Doppler and range observables) obtained at the tracking stations of the Deep Space Network, and also calculates media corrections for the computed values of the observable and partial derivatives of the computed values of the observables with respect to the solve-for-parameter vector-q. The ODP or any other program which uses its formulation can be used to navigate a spacecraft anywhere in the solar system. A publication of the JPL Deep Space Communications and Navigation System Center of Excellence (DESCANSO), Formulation for Observed and Computed Values of Deep Space Network Data Types for Navigation is an invaluable resource for graduate students of celestial mechanics or astrodynamics because it: * features the expertise of today's top scientists * places the entire program Regres formulation in an easy-to-access resource * describes technology which will be used in the next generation of navigation software currently under development The Deep Space Communications and Navigation Series is authored by scientists and engineers with extensive experience in astronautics, communications, and related fields. It lays the foundation for innovation in the areas of deep space navigation and communications by conveying state-of-the-art knowledge in key technologies.

Radiometric Tracking Techniques for Deep-Space Navigation focuses on a broad array of technologies and concepts developed over the last four decades to support radio navigation on interplanetary spacecraft. In addition to an overview of Earth-based radio navigation techniques, the book includes a simplified conceptual presentation of each radiometric measurement type, its information content, and the expected measeurement accuracy. The methods described for both aquiring and calibrating radiometric measurements also provide a robust system to support guidance and navigation for future robotic space exploration.

An important historical look at the space program's evolvingtelecommunications systems Large Antennas of the Deep Space Network traces the development ofthe antennas of NASA's Deep Space Network (DSN) from the network'sinception in 1958 to the present. It details the evolution of thelarge parabolic dish antennas, from the initial 26-m operation atL-band (960 MHz) through the current Ka-band (32 GHz) systems.Primarily used for telecommunications, these antennas also supportradar and radio astronomy observations in the exploration of thesolar system and the universe. In addition, the author also offersthorough treatment of the analytical and measurement techniquesused in design and performance assessment. Large Antennas of the Deep Space Network represents a vitaladdition to the literature in that it includes NASA-funded researchthat significantly impacts on deep space telecommunications. Partof the prestigious JPL Deep Space Communications and NavigationSeries, it captures fundamental principles and practices developedduring decades of deep space exploration, providing informationthat will enable antenna professionals to replicate radiofrequencies and optics designs. Designed as an introduction for students in the field as well as areference for advanced practitioners, the text assumes a basicfamiliarity with engineering and mathematical concepts andtechnical terms. The Deep Space Communications and Navigation Series is authored byscientists and engineers with extensive experience in astronautics,communications, and related fields. It lays the foundation forinnovation in the areas of deep space navigation and communicationsby disseminating state-of-the-art knowledge in key technologies.

An important look at bandwidth-efficient modulations with applications to today's Space program Based on research and results obtained at the California Institute of Technology's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, this timely book defines, describes, and then delineates the performance (power and bandwidth) of digital communication systems that incorporate a wide variety of bandwidth-efficient modulations appropriate for the design and implementation of space communications systems. The author compares the performance of these systems in the presence of a number of practical (non-ideal) transmitter and receiver characteristics such as modulator and phase imbalance, imperfect carrier synchronization, and transmitter nonlinearity. Although the material focuses on the deep space applications developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the presentation is sufficiently broad as to be applicable to a host of other applications dealing with RF communications. An important contribution to the scientific literature, Bandwidth-Efficient Digital Modulation with Application to Deep Space Communications * was commissioned by the JPL Deep Space Communications and Navigation System Center of Excellence * highlights many NASA-funded technical contributions pertaining to deep space communications systems * is a part of the prestigious Deep Space Communications and Navigation Series The Deep Space Communications and Navigation Series is authored by scientists and engineers with extensive experience in astronautics, communications, and related fields. It lays the foundation for innovation in the areas of deep space navigation and communications by disseminating state-of-the-art knowledge in key technologies.

An introduction to antenna Arraying in the Deep Space network Antenna arraying is the combining of the output from several antennas in order to improve the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the received signal. Now implemented at the Goldstone Complex and other Deep Space Network (DSN) overseas facilities, antenna arraying provides flexible use of multiple antennas to increase data rates and has enabled NASA's DSN to extend the missions of some spacecraft beyond their planned lifetimes. Antenna Arraying Techniques in the Deep Space Network introduces the development and use of antenna arraying as it is implemented in the DSN. Drawing on the work of scientists at JPL, this timely volume summarizes the development of antenna arraying and its historical background; describes key concepts and techniques; analyzes and compares several methods of arraying; discusses several correlation techniques used for obtaining the combined weights; presents the results of several arraying experiments; and suggests directions for future work. An important contribution to the scientific literature, Antenna Arraying Techniques in the Deep Space Network * Was commissioned by the JPL Deep Space Communications and Navigation Systems (DESCANSO) Center of Excellence * Highlights many NASA-funded technical contributions pertaining to deep space communications systems * Is a part of the prestigious JPL Deep Space Communications and Navigation Series The Deep Space Communications and Navigation Series is authored by scientists and engineers with extensive experience in astronautics, communications, and related fields. It lays the foundation for innovation in the areas of deep space navigation and communications by disseminating state-of-the-art knowledge in key technologies.

The challenge of communication in planetary exploration has been unusual. The guidance and control of spacecraft depend on reliable communication. Scientific data returned to earth are irreplaceable, or replaceable only at the cost of another mission. In deep space, communications propagation is good, relative to terrestrial communications, and there is an opportunity to press toward the mathematical limit of microwave communication. Yet the limits must be approached warily, with reliability as well as channel capacity in mind. Further, the effects of small changes in the earth's atmosphere and the interplanetary plasma have small but important effects on propagation time and hence on the measurement of distance. Advances are almost incredible. Communication capability measured in 18 bits per second at a given range rose by a factor of 10 in the 19 years from Explorer I of 1958 to Voyager of 1977. This improvement was attained through ingenious design based on the sort of penetrating analysis set forth in this book by engineers who took part in a highly detailed and amazingly successful pro gram. Careful observation and analysis have told us much about limitations on the accurate measurement of distance. It is not easy to get busy people to tell others clearly and in detail how they have solved important problems. Joseph H. Yuen and the other contribu tors to this book are to be commended for the time and care they have devoted to explicating one vital aspect of a great adventure of mankind.

The book explores the low-noise microwave systems that form the front end of all DSN ground receiving stations. It explains why the front end of each antenna is key to establishing the sensivity, polarization, frequency diversity, and capabilities of the receiving chain and, therefore, the entire ground station.

the wave theory foundations of today's radio occultation techniques Forty years ago, the premier radio occultation problem was how to profile the atmosphere and radius of Mars using signals sent by the Mariner 4 spacecraft. Researchers then could rely on ray theory-based techniques for accurate analysis of the thin, uniform Martian atmosphere. Today's radio occultation challenges mostly involve communications platforms—and related data, instrument systems, and applications—in the Earth's own atmosphere. To deal with the density and complexity of this multilayered medium, an analytical framework that goes beyond ray theory is needed. Setting the cutting edge for the field, Radio Occultations Using Earth Satellites: A Wave Theory Treatment develops a purely wave-theoretic approach to occultation analysis. This approach yields more nuanced results than either ray or hybrid (ray/wave) methodologies offer, and proves suitable for the many variables at work in today's problems. This groundbreaking text provides: An introduction to the general theory of radio occultations Development of ray theory and scalar diffraction treatments of radio propagation processes Development of a wave theoretic treatment of the above wave propagation processes The correspondence between wave and ray theories A discussion of how to use a wave-theoretic approach to infer the refractive properties of the propagation medium from a time series set of observations of the propagated wave's phase and amplitude A comprehensive resource that clearly defines the latest topics and methodologies, Radio Occultations Using Earth Satellites is a must-have text for engineers, scientists, students, and managers in satellites communications, navigation, deep space and planetary exploration, aerospace, atmospheric science, physics, and engineering. The Deep Space Communications and Navigation Series is authored by scientists and engineers with extensive experience in astronautics, communications, and related fields. It lays the foundation for innovation in the areas of deep space navigation and communications by disseminating state-of-the-art knowledge in key technologies.