Engineering topics
Publications and source records attributed to Preston, R. A..
Add radar capability to the existing southern hemisphere 70-m Deep Space Network (DSN) site at Canberra, Australia, thereby increasing by 1.5-2x the observing time available for high-precision NEO trajectory refinement and characterization. Estimated cost: approx.$16 million over 3 years, $2.5 million/year for operations (FY09).
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We propose a large array of many identical, small radio telescopes as an affordable way to increase the sensitivity of the DSN (Deep Space Network) by up to two orders of magnitude. This would allow much greater data returns from future missions, as well as new types of missions. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.
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A team of engineers and scientists at JPL is currently working on the design of an array of small radio antennas with a total collecting area up to twenty times that of the largest existing (70 m) DSN antennas. An array of this size would provide obvious advantages for high data rate telemetry reception and for spacecraft navigation. Among these advantages are an order-of-magnitude increase in sensitivity for telemetry downlink, flexible sub-arraying to track multiple spacecraft simultaneously, increased reliability through the use of large numbers of identical array elements, very accurate real-time angular spacecraft tracking, and a dramatic reduction in cost per unit area. NASA missions in many disciplines, including planetary science, would benefit from this increased DSN capability. The science return from planned missions could be increased, and opportunities for less expensive or completely new kinds of missions would be created. The DSN array would also bean immensely valuable instrument for radio astronomy. Indeed, it would be by far the most sensitive radio telescope in the world. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.
We present very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) images of the core emission from a nearby bright FR II radio galaxy, Pictor A, revealing its parsec-scale jet structure and evolution for the first time.
The VSOP Space VLBI mission uses the HALCA spacecraft, launched from Japan in February 1997, in conjunction with gound radio observatories around the world to create a high resolution radio-wavelength imaging facility
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We present high resolution images, preliminary analysis, and interpretation from VSOP space VLBI observations of Pearson-Readhead survey sources.
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We discuss the effects of finite source size on the diffraction pattern produced by scattering in a thin screen, particularly as applied to radio-wave scattering, by density fluctuations in the interstellar plasma.
We have combined Hipparcos proper motion and parallax data for nearby stars with ground-based radial velocity measurements to find stars which may have passed (or will pass) close enough to the Sun to perturb the Oort cloud.
We present high-resolution VLBI radio images of the closest classical radio galaxy, Centaurus A, including the highest resolution image yet for this source.