Special events participated in by the Deep Space Stations (DSS) for the period of February through April 1980 are presented. The status of the DSS is reviewed for the same period, including system performance tests and operational verification tests. A list of software accepted for operation at the DSS is given

Fanelli, N.

Nance, H.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

TDA Progress Report 42-57 March and April 1980 
Voyager Mission Support 
N. Fanelli and H. Nance 
Deep Space Network Operations Section 
This is a continuation of the Deep Space Network report on Tracking and Data 
Acquisition for Project Voyager. This article covers the period for February through April 
1980. 
I. Introduction 
Both Voyager 1 and 2 have continued on the Jupiter-Saturn 
cruise phase of the mission. In addition to the normal cruise 
activities, Voyager 1 has performed some preliminary maneu-
ver and imaging activities in preparation for the Saturn 
encounter. 
II. DSN Support 
The engineering and science activities continued with both 
Voyager spacecraft on the predetermined requirement se-
quence. Some representative tests and the number of times 
each was supported by the DSSs during the reporting period 
are given in Table 1. 
In addition to the routine test/calibration activities, some 
special events were participated in by the stations. 
50 
(1) On 20 and 21 February, a cruise science maneuver was 
performed by Voyager 1. The maneuver went well and 
the spacecraft reacquired after the antenna came back 
to Earth point. 
(2) The scan platform was calibrated and on 20 March and 
22 April, Saturn exposures were made and received. 
(3) On 31 March, a stellar reference activity was per-
formed. On 2 April, the Canopus star tracker sensitivity 
was checked and on 3 April, a Titan Moveable Block 
Capability Demonstration Test was conducted. 
(4) During the period, there were six navigation cycles 
completed with Delta differential one-way ranging 
(Delta DOR) activities occurring twice during each 
navigation cycle. The Delta DOR activity was con-
ducted by the 64-meter stations during mutual view 
periods. During the time DSS 14 was down, DSS 13 
provided the Delta DOR support. 
(5) During the period 4-11 March, real-time combiner 
(RTC) and arraying training and operations indoctrina-
tion were conducted at Goldstone. Representatives 
from DSS 43 and 63 attended and returned to their 
stations to prepare for the training and support at the 
conjoint facilities. The training period included class-
room training, hands-on training, and actual support of 
three scheduled array passes. Applicable operations 
procedures were evaluated and updated as required. 
(6) During the month of March, the X-band drivers were 
turned off on Voyager 1 three different times for a 
total of 148 hours, 42 minutes. During these times, 
only S-band telemetry was received and processed by 
the stations. 
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19800017849 2020-03-21T17:13:36+00:00Z
III. DSS Status 
A. DSS 61 
The implementation of the SIX-band capability and 
upgrade of DSS 61 from a 26-meter-diameter antenna to a 
34-meter-diameter antenna was completed on 1 March 1980. 
The subsystem testing was completed at the same time and 
System Performance Tests (SPTs) started the following day. 
The SPTs were essentially completed on 12 March. These tests 
were divided into two phases, one with antenna operation and 
one without antenna operation. This was necessary because 
previous inspection had determined that repair was required 
on the antenna gear boxes prior to returning the station to an 
operational status. This gear box repair work was accom-
plished during the SPT time frame, restricting antenna opera-
tion during that repair function. 
The Network Operation Project Engineer (NOPE) for 
Voyager conducted Operational Verification Tests (OVTs) 
following the SPTs as the final testing step in returning the 
station to an operational status. The OVTs were structured so 
as to meet the verification requirements for all projects. These 
tests were conducted long-loop with telemetry data being 
generated by NOCA SIM and/or MCCC SIM and transmitted 
to the station for standard processing. This mode of testing 
not only verified the normal station processing equipment, but 
the Simulation Conversion Assembly (SCA) in preparation for 
future encounter Ground Data System (GDS) testing. Each 
station operational crew supported two OVTs so that a train-
ing requirement was likewise completed. 
At the conclusion of the OVT testing, demonstration track-
ing passes were scheduled for all projects to validate actual 
spacecraft data processing. The demonstration passes were 
completed on 1 April 1980 and the station declared opera-
tional for Project support on 2 April 1980. 
B. DSS 42 
The implementation of the SIX-band capability and up-
grade of DSS 42 from a 26-meter-diameter antenna to a 
34-meter-diameter antenna was completed on 28 March 1980. 
The subsystem testing was completed at the same time and the 
SPTs started the following day. The SPTs progressed on sched-
ule and were completed on 15 April. The OVTs were started 
on 16 April and completed on 24 April. Demonstration tracks 
followed the OVTs. 
The same philosophy was followed at DSS 42 for verifica- ' 
tion of operations as was followed for DSS 61. Under this 
testing and training philosophy the maximum return is realized 
from the utilization of the station resources and results in the 
highest degree of confidence as to the station's operational 
capability. 
c. DSS 14 
DSS 14 was removed from operational status on 14 March 
1980 for an estimated 60-day period. During this time period 
the antenna subreflector was to be replaced, the antenna 
panels realigned and a controller installed. It has been found 
that the time necessary for panel realignment was overesti-
mated and that the station will become operational on 9 May. 
The work was completed on 30 April. During the period 
4-8 May, SPTs will be conducted at the station and an OVT 
will be performed on 8 May 1980. The first scheduled tracking 
passes after the OVT will be considered demonstration tracks 
for final station validation. 
D. DSS 62 
DSS 62 was removed from operational status on 17 April 
for an estimated 25-day period. During this time period the 
antenna gear boxes will be. inspected and repaired as required. 
This work is the same as was acomplished at DSS 61 during 
the 34-meter upgrade activity. The station will be returned to 
operational status on 12 May 1980. 
During the time that DSS 61 was undergoing conversion, 
the Programmed Oscillator Control Assembly (POCA) was 
removed from DSS 61 and installed at DSS 62. This gave DSS 
62 the capability of uplinking with Voyager 2. The POCA was 
removed from DSS 62 and reinstalled at DSS 61 on 21 March 
as part of the 34-meter capability. 
E. DSS 44 
During the DSS 42 conversion, the POCA was likewise 
removed from the station and installed at DSS 44. This pro-
vided the 26-meter station uplink capability for Voyager 2 
and, like the DSS 62 operation, relieved some of the load on 
the 64-meter net. The POCA was reinstalled at DSS 42 on 
9 April 1980. 
IV. Software 
During this reporting period several new software packages 
providing the required capabilities for the Saturn encounters 
were tested and accepted for operation at the Deep Space 
Stations. Companion packages for the Network Data Process-
ing Terminals were also tested and accepted for operation at 
JPL in Pasadena. 
(1) Antenna Pointing Subsystem (APS). New software has 
completed probationary testing and is awaiting 
anomaly resolution. 
51 
52 
(2) Communication Monitor and Formatter (CMF). Major 
upgrade completed and now in operational use. 
(3) Command (CMD). Completed probationary and 
Ground Data System testing and now scheduled for 
operational use. 
(4) Metric Data Assembly (MDA). Major anomalies 
encountered and software package returned for correc-
tion and incorporation with capabilities of the next 
version. New release date established. 
(5) Meteorological Monitor Assembly (MMA). Tested and 
in operational use. Provides interface with MDA for 
Very Long Baseline Interferometer (VLBI) support. 
(6) Occultation Data Assembly (ODA). Tested and in 
operational use for VLBI and other baseline data 
recording. 
(7) Planetary Ranging Assembly (PRA). Tested and in 
operational certification cycle. 
Table 1. Type and number of activities support for both Voyager 
spacecraft, February-April 1980 
Test/Calibration 
U1trastable oscillator 
Tracking loop capacitor 
Ultraviolet spectrometer sun col 
Ultraviolet spectrometer star col 
Imaging science subsystem calibration lamps 
Plasma subsystem/magnetometer 
Command detector unit/signal-to-noise ratio 
Scan hysteresis 
Scan platform cal 
Periodic engineering and science cal 
Plasma wave subsystem 
Radio frequency subsystem/auto gain control 
High gain antenna and sensor cal 
Magnetometer boom alignment 
Infrared interferometer spectrometer flash off 
heater sequence 
Flash off heater sequence 
Canopus star tracker sensitivity 
Number 
supported 
16 
11 
2 
7 
1 
7 
10 
2 
1 
10 
2 
5 
5 
9 
7 
53 


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