Deep Space Network Astronomy Support Policy

It has always been the official policy of the DSN to require the investigator team to be personally involved in the observations. In past decades, the presence of a member of the team was required at the antenna. The do-it-yourself philosophy and environment was similar to that of many now long gone university observatories.

Because the DSN makes extensive use of VLBI for calibration and navigation, it proved possible to treat VLBI observations as a service handled by DSN and JPL staff. This became even more true when the DSN standardized and automated VLBI observations to support the Space VLBI Project.

For all other kinds of observations, the old policy still applies. This benefits radio astronomers who want to do technically innovative research with some of the world's largest antennas and most sensitive receivers. It benefits the DSN because some of the innovations may prove beneficial to deep space telecommunication operations.

Because of a lot of effort that has gone and is going into automating the monitor and control system for R&D in the DSN, some research projects (for example, spectroscopic research in Australia under Dr. John Whiteoak) have been able to achieve a high degree of automation. Increasingly, remote operation is being possible and feasible, but it is still implemented on a case by case basis. Investigators who cannot visit DSN facilities as needed are advised to seek a collaborator who can when developing a research project. Tom Kuiper will help to arrange such collaborations.

Prospective PIs should be aware that NASA does not fund astronomers at JPL (or elsewhere) to provide observing support to DSN guest investigators, as provided by most observatories. Furthermore, federal law prohibits JPL employees from working on tasks for which they are not funded. Collaboration with JPL astronomers is therefore limited to projects that are closely aligned with tasks funded at JPL. Prospective PIs can, of course, seek funding to support work at JPL through the NASA Office of Office of Space Science under NASA Research Announcments. There are also internal JPL and Caltech proposal opportunities.