The Deep Space Network needs updating and budget cuts are making ongoing maintenance difficult [1].SpaceX will need deep space communications for future missions. Will SpaceX build its own dishes around the world? Would they be able to funnel money to DSN through a foundation? How will (or should) SpaceX accomplish this task?[1] Welcome to the Center of the Universe, Longreads, March 2018.
Quote from: rockets4life97 on 03/18/2018 12:12 pmThe Deep Space Network needs updating and budget cuts are making ongoing maintenance difficult [1].SpaceX will need deep space communications for future missions. Will SpaceX build its own dishes around the world? Would they be able to funnel money to DSN through a foundation? How will (or should) SpaceX accomplish this task?[1] Welcome to the Center of the Universe, Longreads, March 2018.It seems pretty obvious to me that they should build the infrastructure themselves and donate the built infrastructure for 1/5th the price* NASA procurement could generate the same capabilities.*Wild guess, but likely conservative IMO.
It seems pretty obvious to me that they should build the infrastructure themselves and donate the built infrastructure for 1/5th the price* NASA procurement could generate the same capabilities.*Wild guess, but likely conservative IMO.
Let me make sure I understand the commentary above:If you have satellites in orbit to relay the signal, there isn't a need for the large ground based antennas used by DSN?
Quote from: rockets4life97 on 03/18/2018 05:20 pmLet me make sure I understand the commentary above:If you have satellites in orbit to relay the signal, there isn't a need for the large ground based antennas used by DSN?That's the way I read it. And with laser communication to Mars, you don't have to worry about cloud cover. I would assume that the Mars relay satellite(s) would be in orbit somewhat above GEO and only require one or two satellites. Looking farther into the future I would expect 2 relay satellites in an orbit around the sun so communication would be uninterrupted when Earth and Mars were on opposite sides of the sun.
Of course this won't be a DSN. It will be a Mars specific setup. The DSN can still do its function of connecting to all the deep space probes elsewhere.
>It looks like one aspect need to be emphasized is DSN is not just for communication, but also for navigation.
Well...Once you have an existing network of receivers around Earth, Mars, and possibly L4, a nice debugged LASER comms system that works to those receivers, deciding to put a copy of that onto your probe to Jupiter or Saturn, and accepting the bandwidth hit may be quite reasonable.It's going to take upgrades to work to Uranus or beyond.
Previous discussion on this: https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=41240.0It looks like one aspect need to be emphasized is DSN is not just for communication, but also for navigation.