Goldstone Solar System Radar
Goldstone Deep Space Network | |
| Alternative names | Goldstone radar |
|---|---|
| Location(s) | California, Pacific States Region |
| Coordinates | 35°25′36″N 116°53′24″W / 35.4267°N 116.89°W |
| Altitude | 2,950 ft (900 m) |
| Diameter | 70 m (229 ft 8 in) |
| Website | gssr |
The Goldstone Solar System Radar (GSSR) is a large radar system used for investigating objects in the Solar System, a field called radar astronomy. Located in the desert near Barstow, California, it comprises a 500-kW X-band (8500 MHz) transmitter and a low-noise receiver on the 70-m DSS 14 antenna at the Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex. It has been used to investigate Mercury, Venus, Mars, the asteroids, and moons of Jupiter and Saturn.
The solar system radar is only active a small percentage of the time, as the 70 meter antenna is primarily used for tracking and communicating with spacecraft as part of the NASA Deep Space Network.