Deep Space Network antenna mishap blamed on poor training and procedures

The 70-meter antenna, designated DSS-14, at the Deep Space Network site in Goldstone, California. Credit: NASA

WASHINGTON — A NASA investigation blamed millions of dollars in damage to one of its largest Deep Space Network (DSN) antennas on poor training and procedures.

NASA released this month a redacted version of the final report investigating an incident at its DSS-14 antenna, a 70-meter DSN antenna in Goldstone, California. That antenna has been offline since the Sept. 16 incident.

The antenna suffered damage when it over-rotated, stressing and breaking cables and hoses, including those carrying water for a fire-suppression system. That flooded the base of the antenna with more than 750,000 liters of water that also contained glycol.

The incident caused between $4.1 million and $4.6 million in damage to the antenna, according to the report, enough to classify the incident as a “Type A” mishap by NASA.