Built in 1964 to support deep space missions such as Mariner 4, Deep Space Station 42 (DSS-42) was located in Tidbinbilla, Australia (near Canberra). DSS-42 was a 26 meter (85 foot) hour-angle and declination (HA-Dec) antenna with additional equipment from the Manned Space Flight Network (MSFN) to provide backup for the Apollo Program. In 1980…
Built in 1964 to support deep space missions such as Mariner 4, Deep Space Station 42 (DSS-42) was located in Tidbinbilla, Australia (near Canberra). DSS-42 was a 26 meter (85 foot) hour-angle and declination (HA-Dec) antenna with additional equipment from the Manned Space Flight Network (MSFN) to provide backup for the Apollo Program. In 1980, DSS-42 was converted to a 34 meter (111 foot) antenna for Voyager 1 and 2’s encounters with Saturn. The antenna was retired in 2000 and dismantled shortly thereafter due to structural weaknesses and metal fatigue. Tidbinbilla was renamed the Canberra Deep Space Communications Complex (CDSCC) and remains one of NASAs three Deep Space Network (DSN) sites.