Damage to a key antenna at NASA's Deep Space Network (DSN) has left scientists scrambling to fix communication with Mars spacecraft and track near-Earth asteroids. The 230-foot-wide radio antenna, known as DSS-14, went dark on September 16 after over-rotating, causing water damage and flooding in the process.
According to officials at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), engineers are assessing the extent of the damage and recommending repairs. However, it remains unclear when the antenna will be back online or what steps will be taken to return it to service once the federal government reopens from a current shutdown.
DSN relies on an array of giant radio antennas across the globe to communicate with its interplanetary spacecraft. The system is critical for sending commands and receiving data from ongoing missions in deep space, including tracking near-Earth asteroids and measuring their size and trajectories.
The damage has put additional strain on NASA's communications network as demand is expected to increase dramatically over the next decade. In fact, a 2023 report by NASA's Office of Inspector General warned that DSN antennas would reach capacity by 40% at times, with ongoing space missions requesting more time than the network can provide.
The loss of DSS-14 could also jeopardize upcoming missions, including NASA's Artemis program, which aims to send a crewed mission to the Moon as early as 2026. The recent damaged antenna was used to communicate with Voyager 2 after it ventured into interstellar space in 2012 and received its first signal from NASA's Mariner 4 mission on Mars in 1966.
This is not an isolated incident, however. DSN antennas have been out of commission before due to various issues, including heavy rainfall causing data loss and extensive upgrades that lasted months. The exact time it takes to revive DSS-14 remains unclear, but with the Artemis crew launch looming early next year, the pressure on NASA's engineers is mounting.
The 230-foot-wide antenna played a critical role in tracking near-Earth asteroids, making it crucial for scientists who rely on accurate data to inform their research. With the current downtime, there are added risks of missing critical asteroid encounters or failing to provide timely data.
According to officials at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), engineers are assessing the extent of the damage and recommending repairs. However, it remains unclear when the antenna will be back online or what steps will be taken to return it to service once the federal government reopens from a current shutdown.
DSN relies on an array of giant radio antennas across the globe to communicate with its interplanetary spacecraft. The system is critical for sending commands and receiving data from ongoing missions in deep space, including tracking near-Earth asteroids and measuring their size and trajectories.
The damage has put additional strain on NASA's communications network as demand is expected to increase dramatically over the next decade. In fact, a 2023 report by NASA's Office of Inspector General warned that DSN antennas would reach capacity by 40% at times, with ongoing space missions requesting more time than the network can provide.
The loss of DSS-14 could also jeopardize upcoming missions, including NASA's Artemis program, which aims to send a crewed mission to the Moon as early as 2026. The recent damaged antenna was used to communicate with Voyager 2 after it ventured into interstellar space in 2012 and received its first signal from NASA's Mariner 4 mission on Mars in 1966.
This is not an isolated incident, however. DSN antennas have been out of commission before due to various issues, including heavy rainfall causing data loss and extensive upgrades that lasted months. The exact time it takes to revive DSS-14 remains unclear, but with the Artemis crew launch looming early next year, the pressure on NASA's engineers is mounting.
The 230-foot-wide antenna played a critical role in tracking near-Earth asteroids, making it crucial for scientists who rely on accurate data to inform their research. With the current downtime, there are added risks of missing critical asteroid encounters or failing to provide timely data.
This is just what we needed, another reason why NASA's systems are aging and not exactly... rocket science 
. I mean, come on, 230 feet wide and it can't even handle a little over-rotation? And now the whole Mars spacecraft situation is at risk? Not exactly a crisis management scenario here... 
Just saying, when's the last time they upgraded this antenna system? It's like they're expecting us to just accept some downtime without getting our space facts straight 
.
just imagine if they cant track down some asteroid and its gonna hit earth lol, what a mess... anyway, its not like they can just make more antennas out of thin air, i guess the 230ft one was pretty big too 
think about all the space agencies that rely on those antennas tho, its a big deal for them. NASA needs to get it back online ASAP so they can communicate with their spacecraft and stuff... its gonna be interesting to see how this plays out 
scientists are freaking out because this is not the first time this has happened, remember that antenna went down before due to heavy rain & now it's like the universe is conspiring against them 
and thats a big deal coz they rely on accurate data 2 do their research 
'cause with the Artemis program launchin soon, the pressure is on! 
what if they lose some of those other antennas too? the thought of missing critical asteroid encounters or failing to provide timely data is just not something we can afford 
I mean, I know they're always pushing the boundaries and exploring new frontiers, but this is getting serious! Losing a key antenna like DSS-14 puts the whole Mars mission at risk, not to mention the asteroid tracking. It's like, what if they miss an asteroid that could be a threat to Earth? 
That's not something you want on your conscience.
You know what I mean? This is like a golden age of space exploration, and we need to preserve that.
), but also about the risk of missing critical asteroid encounters or failing to provide timely data. The pressure on those engineers is real 
. And with the Artemis program looming over the horizon 
.
Remember when we used to have just 5 channels on TV? 
Now we're worried about a giant radio antenna going dark and messing with Mars missions... and near-Earth asteroids too 
The thought of it is giving me the heebie-jeebies. It's like we took two steps forward in space exploration and now we're sliding back a few... 
and now this huge antenna is down? 
can't they just upgrade already?! 
The pressure's mounting with the Artemis program launching next year 
and it's all on these scientists to make sure everything goes smoothly... 
what if they miss an asteroid encounter?! 
NASA needs our prayers 
(just kidding, kinda) but seriously, can someone pls fix this antenna already?! 
but at the same time, I'm also kinda worried 
? I mean, we've had these issues before, like with data loss and upgrades that lasted months... how are they gonna recover from this one 
? On the other hand, maybe this is an opportunity for them to upgrade and make their system even better 
. But on the flip side, what if it's not enough