Tracking Station Examples: What are tracking stations?

  • 3 Designs for 5 tracking stations supporting the Japanese HALCA mission
    • DSN design, by Scientific Atlanta, based on design for much simpler existing stations
    • Usuda design by NEC
    • Greenbank based on VLBA with significant modifications
  • All perform the identical functions
    • Interpret global schedule of events
    • Follow moving satellite
    • Up-link maser referenced tone
    • Record down-linked satellite data
    • Estimate error in up-link frequency