[X] My Assistant

[ElkGroveDan]

This was brought up in the MER forums but I figured it might be useful here where discussion of strategy and planning for missions goes on.

Having visited a DSN station this year I have a new found interest in the amazing mission these sites are tasked with. Unfortunately like everything in these belt-tightening days the DSN is underfunded for what it is they need to accomplish. That said a friend pointed out to me that there is a simple formula to calculate the DSN costs for a mission:

Missions calculate DSN costs using this formula: AF = RB [AW (0.9 + FC / 10)]

Where:
AF = weighted Aperture Fee per hour of use.
RB = contact dependent hourly rate, adjusted annually ($1057/hr. for FY09).
AW = aperture weighting:
= 0.80 for 34m High-Speed Beam Waveguide (HSB) stations.
= 1.00 for all other 34m stations (i.e., 34m BWG and 34m HEF).
= 4.00 for 70m stations.
FC = number of station contacts, (contacts per calendar week).

Online tools available:
DSN Aperture Fee Tool - Excel file 706k
DSN Services Catalogue - PDF 675k

The DSN is so critical to nearly everything we discuss here. Everyone should take the time to learn more about it, and if possible try to schedule a visit or tour. The people who work there are the unsung heroes of the headline grabbing feats that NASA and JPL accomplish.
http://deepspace.jpl.nasa.gov/

[dvandorn]

Again, sorry -- writing posts and getting interrupted at work and you're answering my questions before I can post them...

-the other Doug