Research

Since its inception, the DSN has provided astronomers with many opportunities for cutting-edge research. The document "The DSN as a Radio Astronomy Instrument" (JPL Publ. 82-68, rev. 1, Sep. 1988) documents the earlier years.

The examples below of currently active and potential research projects illustrate the DSN's value to NASA's mission and to astronomy.

NASA Space Science Research Theme	Scientific Goal	Research Objectives	DSN Observing Program	Space Missions Supported
Structure and Evolution of the Universe (SEU)	Understand the structure and the evolution of the component parts of the Universe	Understand the early evolution of galaxies	Search for CO Emission from High-Z Galaxies
		Understand the engines at the center of galaxies	Quasars and Galactic Nuclei: Southern Hemisphere VLBI	HALCA
		Determine and mass and absolute distance of the cores of galaxies	Search for Circumnuclear Water Masers	ARISE
		Study the evolution of supernovae remnants	Monitoring Supernova Expansion
			Monitoring Extragalactic Water Masers
		Test models for ultra high energy cosmic neutrino sources	Lunar Neutrino cascade search	EUSO (ESA ISS mission, c 2004); OWL (NASA roadmap mission, c 2008)
Astronomical Search for Origins (Origins)	Understand and explain the origin of galaxies, stars and planetary systems, and life	Determine how stars form	Spectral Imaging of Star Formation	FIRST (by determining the evolutionary state of star forming cores)
		Measure the strength of magnetic fields in protostellar clouds	Zeeman Measurements of Magnetic Fields in Dark Clouds
		Search for pre-biotic interstellar molecules	Search for Complex Organic Molecules	FIRST
		Search for extra-solar planets	Extra-solar Planet Detection and Orbit Determination	SIM TPF
The Sun and Earth Connection (SEC)	Understand the changing Sun and its effects on the Solar System, life, and society
Exploration of the Solar System (SSE)	Understand the origins and evolution of the planets and other bodies of our solar system including Earth, environments habitable by any form of life, and life itself	Study the thermophysics and chemistry of planetary atmospheres	Solar System Radio Astronomy