Low-Noise Systems in the Deep Space Network

MacGregor S. Reid, PhD, worked at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) from 1969 until his retirement in 1998. For the last ten years of his career, he was technical executive assistant to the director. He served a three-year term as vice president of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), Washington, D.C. Dr. Reid was formation chairman of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Subcommittee on Space Systems and Operations for nine years, and he represented the United States on ISO's Committee on Aircraft and Space Operations for twelve years. He has served on many advisory committees, both nationally and internationally, and he is the author of more than eighty publications in the technical literature, three of which have won awards. In recognition of his international work, an asteroid was named after Dr. Reid in 1998 (6894 MacReid). He was awarded medals from AIAA and NASA, and six monetary awards from NASA for the invention of new technology.

• Foreword. Preface.Acknowledgments.Contributors.Chapter 1: Introduction (Macgregor S. Reid).References.Chapter 2: System Noise Concepts with DSN Applications (Charles T. Stelzried, Arthur J. Freiley, and Macgregor S. Reid).2.1 Introduction.2.2 Noise Temperature Concepts.2.3 Antennas.2.4 Low-Noise Amplifiers.2.5 Receiving Systems.2.6 Measurements.2.7 Radiometers in the DSN.2.8 Status and Future.Notation and Terms.References.Chapter 3: Ruby Masers (Robert C. Clauss and James S. Shell).3.1 Introduction.3.2 Ruby Properties.3.3 Spin Resonance, the Applied Magnetic Field, Ruby Orientation, the Low-Temperature Requirement, and Excitation.3.4 Spin-Lattice Relaxation Time, Inversion Ratios, Transition Probabilities, the Filling Factor, and Magnetic.3.5 Ruby Maser Noise Temperatures.3.6 Ruby Masers as Noise Temperature Standards.3.7 Immunity from Radio Frequency Interference (RFI).3.8 Early DSN Cavity Masers.3.9 Comb-Type Traveling-Wave Masers.3.10 Reflected-Wave Masers.3.11 Ka-Band and the Return to Cavity.3.12 Analysis of Maser Designs.References.Chapter 4: Cryogenic Refrigeration Systems (Robert C. Clauss).4.1 Introduction.4.2 Advantages of Using Cryogenic Cooling.4.3 Open-Cycle Refrigeration.4.4 Heat Transfer.4.5 Antenna-Mounted Operation.4.6 Closed-Cycle Helium Refrigerators.4.7 Conclusion.References.Chapter 5: HEMT Low-Noise Amplifiers (J. Javier Bautista).5.1 Introduction-Semiconductor Conductivity.5.2 The Many Acronym-ed Device (MAD)--A Brief HEMT History.5.3 HEMT Growth Technology.5.4 HEMT Materials Evolution--From GaAs to InAs.5.5 Device Fabrication.5.6 HEMT Noise Modeling.5.7 LNA Development.5.8 LNA Modeling and Characterization.5.9 Subsystem Measurements.5.10 Conclusion.References.Chapter 6: Atmosphere Attenuation and Noise Temperature at Microwave Frequencies (Shervin Shambayati).6.1 Introduction.6.2 Surface Weather.6.3 Water Vapor Radiometer Data.6.4 Weather Forecasting.6.5 Concluding Remarks/Future Directions.References.Chapter 7: Antenna Calibration (David J. Rochblatt).7.1 Introduction.7.2 Calibration System Requirements.7.3 Conventional Approach to Aperture Efficiency and Pointing Measurements.7.4 The Raster-Scan Method.7.5 Blind-Pointing Calibration.7.6 Cassini-Jupiter Microwave Observation Campaign (Cassini JMOC).7.7 Operational Antenna Calibration & Measurement Equipment (ACME) for the DSN.7.8 Conclusions.References.Chapter 8: Microwave Antenna Holography (David J. Rochblatt).8.1 Introduction.8.2 Holography System Simulation.8.3 Holography Receiver Signal Analysis.8.4 Mathematical Formulation Data Processing.8.5 Applications.8.6 Conclusion.References.Acronyms And Abbreviations.