Pinpointing a spacecraft within one kilometre across 100 million kilometres
In short: How do we keep tabs on robotic explorers in the furthest reaches of our solar system? This video explains the sophisticated infrastructure and navigational techniques the European Space Agency uses to maintain constant contact with deep-space missions.
The European Space Agency (ESA) manages a global network of Deep Space Antenna (DSA) stations located in Australia, Spain, and Argentina. These stations serve as the primary link for sending telecommands and receiving scientific data from missions exploring planets like Mars and Venus.
Each station features a 35-meter-diameter parabolic dish weighing 610 tonnes. By combining data from these stations with a technique called 'delta-DOR', engineers can calculate a spacecraft's orbit with an accuracy of less than one kilometre, even when the craft is over 100 million kilometres away.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Tracking spacecraft deep across the void
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