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Deep Space Network antenna mishap blamed on poor training and procedures
SpaceNews • • science
Key Points:
- NASA’s Deep Space Network (DSN) antenna DSS-14 at Goldstone, California, suffered $4.1 to $4.6 million in damage after over-rotating and breaking cables and hoses, flooding the antenna base with over 750,000 liters of glycol-containing water.
- The incident, classified as a “Type A” mishap, was caused by poor training, inadequate procedures, and an overreliance on undocumented practices and institutional knowledge, with personnel performing tasks outside their qualifications and working extended hours.
- The investigation identified six critical events leading to the mishap, including a hydraulic limit system failure and repeated over-rotation during communications with the Juno spacecraft, but many details remain redacted.
- NASA plans to keep DSS-14 offline for major refurbishment until October 2028, but has managed communications demands using other DSN antennas, including during the Artemis 2 mission, which saw improved scheduling and coordination.
- The report issued 20 recommendations focusing on improving training, procedures, and incentivizing technical rigor over “personal heroics,” with NASA evaluating similar risks across its broader Space Communications and Navigation network.
