science π‘ NASA boosts deep space comms with new antenna
NASA completed Deep Space Station 23 at Goldstone on August 25, 2026, marking a major upgrade. This new 34-meter radio antenna, managed by JPL, initially tracked the Chandra X-ray Observatory. Currently, it supports missions like Voyager 1, Juno, and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter with increased capacity. DSS-23 provides an extra steerable station, reducing bottlenecks during overlapping contact windows. The network expansion continues, awaiting DSS-33's service in Canberra in 2029. π‘