NASA

Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex Museum Historic Harvey House

When scientists and engineers want to send commands to a spacecraft in deep space, they turn to the Deep Space Network, NASA’s international array of giant radio antennas used to communicate with spacecraft on the moon and beyond. Operators at the Deep Space Network take commands, break them into digital bits, precisely aim these big antennas at the spacecraft, and send the commands to the spacecraft using radio waves.

Goldstone is one of three complexes around the world known as the Deep Space Network (DSN) established to provide the ability to communicate with spacecraft; not only in orbit around the earth, but also in the farther reaches of our solar system. The Deep Space Network complexes, placed 120° apart, provide constant communication with spacecraft as the Earth rotates. In determining the exact position for the site in California, a remote location, free from radio signal interference, was needed.

The remote location of the Mojave Desert in California, near the old mining town of Goldstone, was determined to be an optimal location and in 1958 the first antenna was built. Facilities near Madrid, Spain, and Canberra, Australia complete the Deep Space Network providing 360-degree coverage for spacecraft tracking.

For over half a century the Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex (GDSCC) has provided a vital communications link for NASA/JPL manned and unmanned spacecraft. Fifty years of space exploration have seen many milestones in both robotic and manned spacecraft. From the first planetary encounters, the first human landing on the moon, to missions that reach the farthest points in our solar system, the Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex has been there to bring home critical data, images, or science.

Goldstone was the first site chosen for a Deep Space Station. The location was selected because it is remote from power lines and free of interference from commercial radio and television transmitters, which can impede the reception of the very weak signals sent by the spacecraft. The remote location of the Mojave Desert in California, near the ghost mining town of Goldstone, was determined to be an optimal location for this new space communication platform. Thus the Goldstone facility was conceived and, in 1958, construction began on the Pioneer Deep Space Station (DSS-11) antenna.

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NASA

A 52 Weeks of Fun Fascinating Fact about Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex Museum Historic Harvey House

Goldstone is not an observatory with optical telescopes, but instead, is in two-way robotic spacecraft communication and radio astronomy.

Attraction Advice

The satellites of the Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex bring home critical data and images from a variety of space telescopes, including the Voyager series.

The Goldstone DSS Museum displays how the complex continues to track over 30 spacecraft in deep space.

The Goldstone DSS Museum features interactive exhibits featuring radio communications with telescopes in deep space.

The complex itself is open for tours at Fort Irwin with reservations.

Goldstone Visitor Center