🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <C0o43w.J4L@well.sf.ca.us>, collins@well.sf.ca.us (Steve Collins) writes...
> 
>KaBLE is an engineering experiment to evaluate using Ka band to communicate
>to deep space spacecraft. It can potentially support much higher data rates
>than the X-band we currently use on MO. I don't know much about the details,
>but the transponder on MO can receive and return the signal under the
>right circumstances. There is a short window where we are on the High gain
>antenna but are close enough to have the link-margin to do the experiment.

Because of the higher data rates that can be provided with Ka band, it 
will be used in future deep space missions such as Cassini.  Mars Observer 
simulates Ka band by multiplying its X-band frequency by a factor of 4.  
Currently, there is only one antenna in the Deep Space Network that can receive
Ka band, DSS-13 in Goldstone.  The signal is received at DSS-13 and then
relayed to DSS-14 for analysis.
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    /_ /|  /____/ \  /_ /|     Ron Baalke         | baalke@kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov
    | | | |  __ \ /| | | |     Jet Propulsion Lab |
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