Madrid Deep Space Communication Complex

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The Madrid Deep Space Communications Complex is located at 28290 Robledo de Chavela in (Madrid) Spain. The complex is part of the NASA's Deep Space Network run by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The facility contributes to the Deep Space Network's ability to provide the vital two-way communications link that guides and controls remote control drones and receives the images and new scientific information they collect. This complex is one of three in the world; the others are located in California, near the city of Barstow, and Australia which is close to the city of Canberra.

View of the complex, and the 70m antenna

The antennas and data delivery systems make it possible to:

Acquire telemetry data from spacecraft.
Transmit commands to spacecraft.
Track spacecraft position and velocity.
Perform Radio Astronomy (both single-dish and very-long-baseline interferometry) observations.
Measure variations in radio waves for radio science experiments.
Monitor and control the performance of the network.

as stated in the Deep Space Network article.

[edit] Antennas

The complex has two antennas, called DSS-63 and DSS-65. The DSS-63 was built in 1974 and has a diametre of 70 metres.It can transceive in S and X-band with a power up to 400 kilowatts and receive in L, S, X and K-band. DSS-63 weighs totally 8000 tons, whereby the dish has a weight of 3500 tons. Its surface is 4180 m2.

DSS-65, which was built in 1987 has a diametre of 34 metres. It can transmit in X-band with a maximum power of 20 kWand receive in S- and X-band. The weight of DSS-65 is 400 tons, whereby the dish weighs 350 tons.