Goldstone

Two and a half years ago, in March 2011, my son was home on leave (he’s in the Air Force) and had a surprise for my birthday.

Remember I was talking a few days ago about mankind’s first starship, Voyager I? That “antique” spacecraft is currently over twelve billion miles from Earth and transmitting with 23 watts of power, which is about a quarter of the energy output of the average refrigerator light bulb. By the time it gets here it’s a pretty stinking faint signal. How do we pick that signal up? With some really, really freakin’ big antennas.

Goldstone, one of the three primary antenna sites for the Deep Space Network is a couple hundred miles outside of Los Angeles. They have a limited number of public tours available and my son had snagged two spots for us. For a space cadet like me (and like him!) this was an über cool site visit.

If you get a chance, go to see it! (In March. Or February, maybe January. Not in July or August. Just stupid hot out there in the summer.)