High Power-Low Noise Facility Development

A study was made on the development of a facility that will enable testing of high power–low noise feed systems at JPL rather than at Goldstone. Such a facility could make it possible to realize a cost savings of as much as $52,000 per year through the elimination of travel and shipping costs and through better utilization of JPL workforce time. A proposed design is presented along with technical data to show that absorber loads in this facility will not overheat and transmitter leakage power will be down to a safe level. Suggestions are given for possible locations of this facility at JPL.