Overview
- The 34-meter antenna DSS-23 began operations on Aug. 3, 2026 and has already started tracking missions including the Chandra X-ray Observatory.
- More than 40 spacecraft rely on NASA’s three Deep Space Network complexes, so a single new dish eases pressure but does not meet total demand for contact time.
- Goldstone’s 70-meter dish, DSS-14, has been offline since a September 2025 over-rotation incident and requires repairs and upgrades expected to continue through October 2028.
- DSS-23 uses a multifrequency beam-waveguide design that routes signals to stable underground electronics rooms, which simplifies maintenance and future upgrades compared with mounting sensitive gear on the moving dish.
- The DSN expansion program has run years behind schedule and over budget, with five of six 34-meter antennas now planned and the final unit, DSS-33 in Canberra, targeted for 2029, so mission planners must keep prioritizing contacts, especially for crewed Artemis flights.