Previous -- Start Page -- Next

Photo copyrighted

Dish panel for DSS-42 (decomissioned in 2000). The original DSS-42 was 26 meters across and was expanded to 34 meters for the missions to Venus and Mars. The perforations in the panels cut down on wind loading of the antenna (so they are not as buffeted by wind gusts). The surface accuracy of the panels is to within a fraction of the signal wavelength (or to within 0.5 mm). Though the perforations mean you can see through the panel in the visible band, the panel is opaque a radio wavelengths!