The NASA Deep Space Network (DSN) is an international network of ground-based facilities that supports interplanetary spacecraft missions, as well as selected Earth-orbiting missions. It functions as a telecommunications system, commanding, tracking, and monitoring spacecraft, while also enabling scientific investigations through radio and radar astronomy. The DSN is operated by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and consists of three strategically located facilities around the world, including in the United States (California), Spain (Madrid), and Australia (Canberra). NASA partners with organizations like the European Space Agency, the Japanese Space Agency, and the Indian Space Agency, and is also expanding through commercial partnerships to alleviate reliance on the DSN. Key products/services include deep space communication, data relay, and radio science observations.
All verified mentions of this organization in source documents.
The first lunar flyby occurred outside Indian Deep Space Network visibility on November 6, 2025, with a closest approach at 3,740 km from the Moon's surface.
NASA's Deep Space Network, consisting of its Deep Space Station 14, is currently offline due to equipment failure for nearly two months.
The Deep Space Network includes ground stations in Goldstone, California; Madrid, Spain; and Canberra, Australia.
The Deep Space Network communicates with spacecraft beyond Jupiter, utilizing three ground stations placed at approximately 120-degree intervals.
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory operates the Deep Space Network.
Ground controllers established two-way communication with Europa Clipper via NASA’s Deep Space Network facility in Canberra, Australia at 1:13 p.m. EDT on 2024-10-14.
The Deep Space Network managed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory completed end-to-end test communications with Astrobotic’s Griffin lunar lander.
The Deep Space Network will provide the connection to enable Astrobotic staff to command GM1, receive images and scientific information from the lander, and support continuous radio communication between the spacecraft and Earth.
A Deep Space Network station in California caused a 4.5-hour loss of communication with Orion during the Artemis 1 mission.
The S-band Transponders on NEO Surveyor will receive telecommands from NASA’s Deep Space Network, transmit spacecraft telemetry to Earth, and provide ranging signals to measure the spacecraft’s distance.
Morehead State University operates the newest affiliated node on NASA’s Deep Space Network and provided telemetry, tracking, and control services for CAPSTONE while engaging university students in deep space mission operations.
CAPSTONE established more than 350 Deep Space Network contacts, with over 70 of those contacts involving Morehead State University.
NASA's Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) program manages the agency's Deep Space Network and Near Space Network.
NASA’s Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) program manages the Deep Space Network and the Near Space Network.
The Voyager bus has both geostationary Earth orbit and cislunar heritage and has radios designed for compatibility with NASA’s Deep Space Network.
The Voyager platform has both geostationary and cislunar heritage and its radios are designed for compatibility with NASA’s Deep Space Network.
Voyager includes redundant components to withstand harsh environments beyond low-Earth orbit, draws heritage from nanosatellites sent to geosynchronous and cislunar orbit, and has radios designed to communicate with NASA’s Deep Space Network.
The Voyager bus is built with component redundancy to reduce risk and extend lifetime in harsh environments, has GEO and cislunar heritage, and its radios are designed for compatibility with NASA’s Deep Space Network.
CAPSTONE collected more than 315,000 measurements from the Deep Space Network including the site at Morehead State University.
NASA is exploring ways to enhance Deep Space Network capabilities without creating an overbuilt network, including using antennas not part of the DSN, using lunar and Mars data relay assets, and incorporating optical communications.