Preface

This quarterly publication provides archival reports on developments in programs managed by JPL's Telecommunications and Mission Operations Directorate (TMOD), which now includes the former Telecommunications and Data Acquisition (TDA) Office. In space communications, radio navigation, radio science, and ground-based radio and radar astronomy, it reports on activities of the Deep Space Network (DSN) in planning, supporting research and technology, implementation, and operations. Also included are standards activity at JPL for space data and information systems and reimbursable DSN work performed for other space agencies through NASA. The preceding work is all performed for NASA's Office of Space Sciences (Code S).

TMOD also performs work funded by other NASA offices through and with the cooperation of Code S. These include data reduction and science analyses of data obtained by the Goldstone Solar System Radar, which uses antennas at Goldstone configured as science instruments making direct observations of the planets, their satellites, and asteroids of our solar system. And, the antennas at all three complexes are also configured for radio astronomy research and, as such, conduct experiments funded by the National Science Foundation in the U.S. and other agencies at the overseas complexes. These experiments are either in microwave spectroscopy or very long baseline interferometry.

Finally, tasks funded under the JPL Director's Discretionary Fund and the Caltech President's Fund that involve TMOD are included.

This and each succeeding issue of The Telecommunications and Data Acquisition Progress Report will present material in some, but not necessarily all, of the aforementioned programs.