X-band
The workhorse band of deep-space communication and radiometric navigation. Most interplanetary missions send their science data and are tracked on X-band, which balances data rate against antenna size and weather losses.
Signal light-time
Signals travel at the speed of light, so one-way light-time grows with distance: about 1.3 s to the Moon, 3–22 minutes to Mars, 33–53 minutes to Jupiter, and over 22 hours to Voyager 1 — real light-time, never a fabricated fixed delay.
Used by
- 34-metre Beam-Waveguide AntennaAntenna
- 34-metre High-Efficiency AntennaAntenna
- 70-metre AntennaAntenna
- Alaska Satellite FacilityGround station
- Byalalu Station (IDSN)Tracking station
- Canberra Deep Space Communication ComplexTracking station
- Cebreros StationTracking station
- Chinese Deep Space NetworkNetwork
- Commercial Deep-Space ServicesNetwork
- Deep Space Network (DSN)Network
- Delta-DORNavigation system
- ESTRACKNetwork
- Goldstone Deep Space Communications ComplexTracking station
- High-Gain Antenna (Spacecraft)Antenna
- Indian Deep Space NetworkNetwork
- JAXA Deep Space NetworkNetwork
- Jiamusi StationTracking station
- Kashgar StationTracking station
- Madrid Deep Space Communications ComplexTracking station
- Malargüe StationTracking station
- Maspalomas StationTracking station
- Medium-Gain Antenna (Spacecraft)Antenna
- New Norcia StationTracking station
- Phased-Array AntennaAntenna
- Radiometric NavigationNavigation system
- Russian Deep Space NetworkNetwork
- Telemetry, Tracking & Command (TT&C)Communication system
- Ussuriysk StationTracking station
- Usuda Deep Space CenterTracking station
Sources
The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.
- NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration
Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.
Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.
- NASA JPLJet Propulsion Laboratory / Solar System Dynamics
Orbital data, ephemerides, and small-body parameters for planets, asteroids, and comets.